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ZEC admits ‘political interference’ in 2008 vote

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Nehanda Radio
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By Wendy Muperi and Fungi Kwaramba

HARARE – Delays in announcing results of the March 29, 2008 presidential elections were caused by “political interference” and resource constraints, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has claimed.

Morgan Tsvangirai (left) beat Robert Mugabe in the March 2008 presidential poll
Morgan Tsvangirai (left) beat Robert Mugabe in the March 2008 presidential poll

Speaking to journalists in Kadoma on Wednesday, acting Zec chairperson Joyce Kazembe and the commission’s deputy chief elections officer, Utoile Silaigwana said political parties made their work almost insurmountable as expectations were high from the two leading political parties.

Zanu PF lost its Parliament majority to the MDC in the March vote and President Robert Mugabe lost the presidential polls to MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who however, failed to garner the 50 percent-plus one vote needed to enable him to become the President.

The country had to go for a presidential election run-off, again run by Zec, which was however marred by violence. Between March and May, the world was made to wait for more than five weeks by Zec which did not announce election results amid MDC allegations that Zec was cooking up results to fix the matrix of an election run-off.

“There was a lot of political interference in 2008,” Silaigwana said. “People were announcing results when we were still in the process of counting the votes. We had to go back to the polling stations and restart the counting manually.”

MDC secretary-general Tendai Biti announced election results after tallying results posted outside polling stations countrywide. There was a lot of political drama during the election results hold-up, with Zec claiming it was “meticulously verifying” results.

At one point, the MDC, which claimed to have won elections, took Zec to the High Court in order to stop the commission from recounting ballots.

A new look Zec formed in 2009 after the formation of coalition government between Mugabe and Tsvangirai has a new governing law which requires that election results should be announced within five days after the poll date.

Kazembe admitted there was mischief from political parties as the country anxiously waited for poll results before the announcement, which also heralded the genesis of an orgy of violence allegedly engineered by shock-troopers, war veterans and youth militia.

The army also stepped in and is widely believed to have propped up Mugabe to controversially return the presidency after Tsvangirai dropped from the run-off race citing escalating violence meted on his supporters.

Now with another election beckoning, Kazembe said the commission is in the process of computerising its systems so as to eliminate delays that could be caused by human error.

“In 2008 there were a lot of human errors but we do not rule out mischief. So we would like to eliminate human error. When votes are transferred, we hope it will be done through the computer,” said Kazembe. – Daily News

4 Zimbabweans in Unisa exam papers theft

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Nehanda Radio
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Five men have been arrested for allegedly stealing exam papers from the University of South Africa’s (Unisa) Pretoria campus, the Hawks said yesterday. Captain Paul Ramaloko said the five men, four of them Zimbabweans, were arrested on Tuesday.

University of South Africa (Unisa)
University of South Africa (Unisa)

“We were following up on information about exam papers being sold (when we made the arrests).”

The men were believed to be students and tutors at private colleges in Pretoria. The men would face charges of possession of suspected stolen property. Ramaloko said it was possible that the men could also be charged with fraud.

They will appear in Pretoria Magistrate’s Court today. Unisa spokesperson Martin Ramotshela said the university would respond to questions later today. The Times quoted him as saying: “We view such transgressions in a serious light. When necessary, we will take disciplinary action.”

An internal investigation was underway. Unisa felt the integrity of exams remained intact, despite the breach. According to The Times, a lecturer, who asked not to be named, said the exams would need to be reset.

“This will be tedious, especially if it is for third, fourth and exit year students, because the setting and marking of exam papers involves external modulators,” he said. — Sowetan

Ex-farmers target ‘seized’ Zimbabwean assets in the UK

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Nehanda Radio
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By Lindsay Watling | London Evening Standard |

A Londoner forced off her 3,600 acre farm in Zimbabwe told today of her battle to get justice from Robert Mugabe’s regime. Timolene Tibbett, 56, was thrown out of their home with her late husband Rolf and their three children by war veterans in 2001.

Timolene Tibbett
Timolene Tibbett

The Kensington-born former equestrian competitor was promised compensation by a court but has never received a penny. She has now been reduced to living in a small flat in Harlow in Essex and says the stress of the ordeal led to her husband’s premature death.

“It’s extremely difficult. I have no friends and very few family here. I have a couple of relatives, but my children are not here with me. They are scattered all over. Life has changed drastically, dramatically for me,” she said.

Determined not to give up, however, now Mrs Tibbett is leading a campaign called Justice Zimbabwe to force Mugabe to pay the money she and 10 other farmer families are owed.

They have sent a 2,500-signature petition to foreign secretary William Hague protesting EU plans to lift sanctions currently imposed on the southern African nation. They have also suggested previously-seized Zimbabwean assets held by the UK treasury are used to cover the money owed.

“I can promise the Zimbabwean government we are not going away,” said Mrs Tibbett.

“We are going to be on their toes until we see that justice is done and we get paid – we have a good case. I’m sure we will win.”

Family: Timolene Tibbett, husband Rolf and two of their children in Zimbabwe
Family: Timolene Tibbett, husband Rolf and two of their children in Zimbabwe

Describing the build-up to her family’s eviction, she told the Standard: “There had been lots of intimidation of our workers and a neighbour of ours who was an opposition supporter was murdered.

“The War Veterans came to the farm, they got near the house and demanded certain things. There was chanting, shouting and screaming. We stuck it out for about three weeks, watching and listening to them.

“Finally, my husband said he could not stand to watch the family’s livelihood and that of all our workers being allowed to die – it was very frightening.”

After being forced to leave their land in the Macheke district, which Mr Tibbett had worked since 1986, the penniless family fled to Harare to try to set up a business, but times were hard.

Mr Tibbett later travelled to Nigeria for work, coming home every couple of months to see his wife, but the stress became too much and in 2008 he died from a perforated ulcer, aged just 50. After a brief spell in South Africa, Mrs Tibbett returned to the UK last year.

In 2009 A Zimbabwean court awarded more than 17 million euros to her and 10 other victims, a figure that has since risen to 23 million due to interest. At the time, the Zimbabwean Government agreed to settle the debts, but three years on the money remains outstanding.

Wild pigs cost Air Zimbabwe US$8,5 million

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Nehanda Radio
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Struggling national airliner Air Zimbabwe is suing the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe for over US$8,5 million in damages after one of its planes collided with wild pigs on the runway three years ago.

Air Zimbabwe's MA60 aircraft
Air Zimbabwe’s MA60 aircraft

The airline’s MA60 aircraft collided with the pigs at the Harare International Airport runway in November 2009 as it prepared to take off resulting in the flight from Harare to Bulawayo being cancelled.

The aircraft veered off the runway into bushes and two of the 34 passengers sustained minor injuries. The plane was extensively damaged. None of the four-crew members on board was injured.

In its summons filed at the High Court on October 23 this year, Airzim is suing for breach of contract and negligence and argues that CAAZ has, among its many functions, the responsibility to maintain safety standards at airports.

Harare dealer shoots himself dead

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Nehanda Radio
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A Harare auto spare parts dealer Peter Makoni (48) of New Marlborough on Tuesday blew his head in a suspected suicide case following a divorce dispute with his first wife.

Makoni was found locked in his Isuzu Bighorn
Makoni was found locked in his Isuzu Bighorn

Makoni’s body spent the whole of Tuesday night at the of corner Old Mazowe and Mapereke roads under police guard. It was only removed yesterday morning at around 10am after the Criminal Investigations Department and forensic personnel had concluded their preliminary investigations.

Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tedious Chibanda confirmed the incident and said investigations were still under way. He said the case had been referred to CID Homicide.

Neighbours told The Herald that Mr Makoni, who appeared troubled, spent the better part of Tuesday sitting in his car that was parked in the neighbourhood where he had been living with his second wife for the past seven months.

Relatives say Mr Makoni sent a text message to his cousin to meet him at the corner of old Mazoe Road and Mapereke Road in New Marlborough.

The cousin, Mr Lucky Magezi, in the company of Makoni’s second wife Ms Nyaradzo Nangai complied and arrived at the meeting place at around 6pm where they found Mr Makoni locked in his Isuzu Bighorn.

He is said to have lowered the window and told them: “It is better for me to die,” without elaborating further how he had reached such a fatal decision. He is said to have disembarked from the car and shot himself once in the head with a pistol around 7:30pm.

Residents who first arrived at the scene said Mr Makoni’s body lay underneath the vehicle close to the left rear wheel, about a metre away from the pool of blood.

No blood trail could be detected from where the corpse lay to the pool of blood, leaving residents with questions of how the corpse could have moved itself closer to the left rear wheel.

Makoni’s niece who declined to identify herself confirmed her uncle’s rocky relationship with his first wife who stays in Bluffhill in Harare. “My uncle has had suicidal tendencies for a long time we never suspected it would come to this. He has been having divorce issues with his first wife,” the niece said.

Through the Wire: Persecution by Prosecution in Zimbabwe

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Nehanda Radio
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By Lance Guma

In 32 years of uninterrupted rule Robert Mugabe and his political vampires in Zanu PF have monotonously employed ‘Persecution by Prosecution’ to deal with organisations or individuals who threaten their iron grip on illegitimate power.

Lance Guma
Lance Guma

The unfortunate death of police Inspector Petros Mutedza in May last year, conveniently before a SADC meeting to discuss Zimbabwe, laid the political foundations for the incarceration of the Glen View/MDC-T 29 (now 31).

On the weight of evidence one cannot escape the naked reality that the activists, some of whom have spent 18 cruel months in custody, are innocent. Three quarters of this time has deliberately been wasted on bail applications (when the judges or prosecutors bothered to turn up) and not the actual trial.

The father and brother of the murdered cop, Solomon and Tichaona Mutedza have also testified in court stating at great risk that Zanu PF and state security agents were behind the murder in order to tarnish the image of the MDC-T.

We witnessed the trial judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu ‘crying more than the bereaved’ when he emotionally accused defence lawyers of coaching Tichaona Mutedza on what to say. Tichaona was accused of being an MDC-T activist.

But the murdered cop’s father, Solomon, is a member of Zanu PF. ‘Injustice’ Bhunu as he is now being derisively called did not bother to give us his reaction to that twist in the case. He is the one handling the case like a Zanu PF activist.

Justice Bhunu of course deserves another farm for his Oscar winning performances in delaying the trial. He has spent months ‘deliberating’ on the bail application by activists who were briefly released but did not abscond.

If the accused have already shown they are not a flight risk, why deny them bail? Unless of course, as we all know, you are taking political instructions from a political party that gave you a farm several years ago.

But is the Glen View case anything new?

Jestina Mukoko and the training of MDC bandits in Botswana

In December 2008 four CIO agents, part of a 7 member gang, abducted former ZBC TV presenter and human rights activist Jestina Mukoko from her Norton home around 5am. They pushed her into the back of a truck and sped off.

Jestina Mukoko
Jestina Mukoko

It’s ridiculous when you think about it now but Mugabe’s regime actually accused her of plotting to overthrow them by recruiting MDC insurgents to train in Botswana. (Jestina recruiting bandits? These people think we are fools!!)

Mukoko was severely tortured and kept incommunicado for over 21 days. After this period she was able briefly, in the presence of police, to see her family.

Without warning she was brought to court on Christmas Eve, alongside other detainees who had been abducted and held for 76 days. The detainees included a 72-year-old man and a two-year-old boy, all facing banditry charges.

The case collapsed and the charges were dropped.

Even if you had a brain the size of a pea, you would have worked out that the charges were trumped up and intended to intimidate people like Jestina Mukoko and her Zimbabwe Peace Project from documenting abuses in the country.

Luke Tamborinyoka and the bombing of police stations

Luke Tamborinyoka
Luke Tamborinyoka

In 2007 over 84 activists including Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s current spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka were arrested and held for over 62 days on trumped up charges of setting off a series of petrol bombs countrywide.

Just like the Mukoko case the charges were eventually dropped but not before the activists endured assaults, torture and other forms of degrading treatment.

It later was leaked out that units within the army were behind the 12 petrol bombs that exploded across the country, mainly targeting police stations, Zanu PF offices and passenger trains. The bandits and terrorists were in our army.

The same goons probably bombed the Daily News in 2001 no doubt.

But if the regime is prepared to inflict this sort of collateral damage for its political ends they would have had no hesitation killing Inspector Petros Mutedza last year in May, just like his father and brother have alleged.

Lookout Masuku and Dumiso Dabengwa

In 1982 then Prime Minister Robert Mugabe ordered the arrest of Lookout Masuku and Zipra intelligence supremo Dumiso Dabengwa and four others for allegedly planning a coup. The case again collapsed in the Supreme Court.

Lookout Masuku
Lookout Masuku

Despite the acquittal police detained the group under emergency regulations, holding them for four years. This again was a clear example of Mugabe persecuting his opponents by prosecuting them in a court of law.

I could have written a whole book on trumped up charges used by Zanu PF citing the Cain Nkala murder trial, Tsvangirai treason trial and many others but the above examples should show you how ‘persecution by prosecution’ works.

Mugabe’s opponents have had to hire expensive lawyers to defend themselves. This wastes valuable money meant to be used for campaigns. Key party figures also spend time in jail and are not able to carry out their mandates like MDC-T Youth Assembly Chairperson Solomon Madzore for example.

Meanwhile Zanu PF’s key party figures are free and roaming on the ground campaigning. This is despite a collection of them having blood on their hands from Gukurahundi through to the June 2008 election violence and murder.

The late Zanu PF legal brain Edison Zvobgo once said “a prison is a place where big criminals keep small ones.” The tragic irony in Zimbabwe is that it is the victims who have been ‘persecuted by prosecution’ by the perpetrators.

Dynamos bite Black Mambas to stay top

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Nehanda Radio
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Black Mambas—-0

Dynamos——–3

CHAMPIONS Dynamos overcame a lethargic start to turn on the power and thrash Black Mambas to keep their noses ahead in their intriguing Castle Lager championship fight against Highlanders.

Double Trouble . . . DeMbare’s young hitmen, Simba Sithole (left) and Farai Mupasiri
Double Trouble . . . DeMbare’s young hitmen, Simba Sithole (left) and Farai Mupasiri

Dynamos made an across town trip to Morris Depot knowing that any slip up would hand the initiative to their bitter rivals Bosso who were playing Buffaloes at Barbourfields. Bosso took a 14th minute lead through Masimba Mambare in what later turned out to be the only goal of the match at Barbourfields.

But at Morris Depot, DeMbare had to wait until the 33rd minute to calm their nerves. Simba Sithole thrust Dynamos into the lead in the 33rd minute when he scrambled the ball home from close range before Timire Mamvura added the second goal in the 50th minute.

Mamvura could count himself lucky to get onto the score sheet as Mambas goalkeeper Tonderai Mateyaunga fumbled with the ball before it slipped past the goalline.

It was another classic howler by a goalkeeper as Mateyaunga seemed to have smothered the free kick by Mamvura but somehow let it slip through his fingers. On Sunday, it was Dynamos goalkeeper George Chigova who gave Highlanders a gift-wrapped goal.

Cliff Sekete further increased the lead in the 72nd minute when he came on a strong run on the right flank before firing a low shot past Mateyaunga. Mambas finished with nine men after their skipper Sam Mutenheri and defender Tawanda Muswere were shown red by referee Pascal Chadya.

Muswere was the first to be expelled as he was already sitting on a yellow card when he infringed on Dynamos goalkeeper Chigova in the 77th minute.

A minute later, Mutenheri, who had been booked earlier on, was also sent for an early shower for remonstrating with Chadya to deflate any hopes that Mambas had of saving the game.

Black Mambas assistant coach Martin Bonongwe was naturally disappointed by the defeat and believes the turning point was the schoolboy blunder by their otherwise impressive goalkeeper.

“The result is very disappointing considering that we were playing at home and fighting. We should have used home advantage. The goalkeeping error was the turning point because we were looking like a team that was going to score but at that point things fell apart,” said Bonongwe.

Losing two players within a space of a minute, Bonongwe said, also affected them.

“Unfortunately we lost two key defenders to red cards,” said Bonongwe.

Despite the defeat, Black Mambas are still optimistic of surviving relegation at the end of the season. The police side will play Buffaloes, Hardbody and FC Platinum to wrap up their season.

“Hopefully if we get six points from the nine left, we might be able to survive relegation. We failed to score when we had the advantage in the early stages,” said Bonongwe. Mambas appeared more comfortable in the early stages with Nicholas Alifandika and Innocent Nyoni causing anxious moments for DeMbare.

But it was the predatory Sithole who struck his second goal in many games who calmed the nerves of the champions who scored two more in the second half as some showers fell. Other than Devon Chafa, who is injured, Dynamos fielded the same team that started against Highlanders.

“We had a good game on Sunday (against Highlanders) and I thought we carried off from where we left. Today we are glad that the goals came and that should set the tone for the brutal end to the championship race. In the first half, it was not so easy, we struggled a bit until we got that goal which settled our nerves.

“From there on everything became easy,” said Dynamos assistant coach Tonderayi Ndiraya.

Ndiraya said their win yesterday gave them the moral boost ahead of a tricky tie against Monomotapa on Sunday.

“It is going to be a big game but I am sure this win today gave our players confidence. We are getting into that game full of confidence. We cannot wait for that game on Sunday but all the remaining games are difficult.

“Now we are in the home stretch and every game becomes difficult and we have to collect maximum points,” Ndiraya said.

He also paid tribute to Chigova for showing greater character yesterday following his infamous boob at the weekend.

“Chigova was doing almost everything correct today and that’s a plus on his side and when we play Monoz I hope he will perform the same way he did today. He was fantastic. Also Timire did well in giving good cover to the back four in the absence of Devon Chafa,” said Ndiraya. The Herald

Teams

Black Mambas: T Mateyaunga, T Muswere, N Alifandika, K Chidzambwa, B Nyaunzvi, G Mangani (E. Chitato 68th minute), L Chibwiro, S Mutenheri, I Nyoni (T Rantokoane 68th minute), B Chirimhanzi, P Madziro

Dynamos: G Chigova (P Nhete 83rd minute), T Magorimbo, D Mukamba, P Jaure, O Mushure, T Mamvura, C Sekete (M Murape 78th min), S Sithole, G Bello, F Mupasiri (R Mutuma 66th minute).

Other Results

Gunners 1 Monomotapa 0

Hwange 5 Hardbody 1

Motor Action 2 Quelaton 0

Chicken 5 Blue Rangers 1

Highlanders 1 Buffaloes 0



Bosso beat Buffaloes in pulsating tie

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Nehanda Radio
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From Sikhumbuzo Moyo in Bulawayo

Highlanders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Bufalloes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

BULAWAYO giants Highlanders chose the hardest way to claim three points over visiting army side Buf­faloes in a Castle Lager Premier Soc­cer League encounter at Barbourfields that had a last minute drama.

Masimba Mambare
Masimba Mambare

Masimba Mambare drilled from close range in the 14th minute in what proved to be the game’ decider.

In scoring the winner, Mambare atoned for an indifferent show against Dynamos in the Battle of Zimbabwe II at Rufaro last Sunday in which he was hauled off early in the second half. That the first half in yesterday’s game was pulsating was never in doubt.

Buffaloes had to wait for a good 48 minutes to take their first corner kick. Two things, however remain a mys­tery to those that were at the match venue, why Highlanders went to the breather not leading by at least four goals and what it might really take for Cleopas Dube to open his scoring account.

The former ZPC (Hwange) player did everything that a striker has to do, including hitting the woodwork in each half, first in the 24th minute when his diving header off a Lawson Nkomo cross hit the upright post before bouncing back into play and his second effort coming in the 69th minute.

In both cases Buffaloes goalkeeper, Hopeful Bere had been beaten clean. Bere had a nasty welcome to Bar­bourfields when he was yellow carded by referee Philani Ncube in the sixth minute for time wasting as he tried to stop a barrage of Bosso raids.

With Highlanders piling on pres­sure on the visitors, they were bound to take a little comfort and remain sus­ceptible to sporadic attacks from the visitors.

One such attack did come in the 11th minute and a defence splitting pass from Muchineripi Wayerera from the right found an on-rushing Roy Mwengwa who let loose a bullet from the edge of the box that however went slightly over the bar for a Bosso goal kick.

In the 14th minute, spectators were treated to some beautiful football when Bruce Kangwa dribbled his way past a cluster of Buffaloes defenders and found himself inside the 12-yard box.

When he was about to go for the kill, the ball was hooked away from him by Muchineripi who directed it to Dananai Chinowawa who was clearly sleeping on duty and was duly dis­posed by Bhekimpilo Ncube.

The gangly Bhekimpilo wasted no time to cross the ball that found an on rushing Mambare who made no mis­take. The former Motor Action player was back to ask questions again two minutes later but this time his screamer from just outside the box went over the bar.

At that moment, Bosso followers must have been justified to foresee a massacre but the black and white army could not find the second goal, although it was clear that even the vis­itors would not open their account.

Buffaloes were making constant mistakes of losing possession while Highlanders kept charging forward with Mthulisi Maphosa displaying his usual good form with passes while Heritein Masuku also played well in his role in the thick of things in the midfield.

Credit though should go to Buf­faloes coach Chaminuka who realised that Highlanders were relying much on Kangwa’s overlaps from the left flank and when he did that, Nkomo would also do the same from the right side and that left Bosso exposed on the wings. It was from such an oversight that disaster nearly befell Highlanders.

A through ball on the left side found Mwenga who charged towards goal and with the defence miles away, found himself face to face with the Warriors goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda and instead of hitting a hard and low shot, Mwenga lifted his shot and Sibanda went airborne and made a brilliant diving catch .

The second segment saw the visitors applying a 3-5-2 system in order to congest the midfield and their strategy somehow worked as Bosso suddenly found it difficult to play their usual game.

Buffaloes striker Berven Chirere, so full of running was a constant threat to the ageing Innocent Mapuranga, espe­cially on through balls and counter attacks.

The championship chasing High­landers tried to make some positional changes in order to counter their opponents’ moves, bringing in Peter Moyo for Bhekimpilo in the 50th minute and young Ozias Zibande for Milton Ncube in the 63rd minute.

Zibande though was the more effec­tive of the two substitutes as Moyo was guilty of losing possession unneces­sarily and failing to anticipate passes from his colleagues. Bosso coach Kelvin Kaindu was sat­isfied with the overall showing by his charges but felt they should have buried the chances that came their way.

“We played well despite missing several chances. I really think all the boys that played today did well,” said Kaindu.

Chaminuka bemoaned the early goal conceded by his team but also felt the boys played well. The Chronicle

Teams:

Highlanders: A Sibanda, L Nkomo, B Kangwa, E Mudzingwa, I Mapuranga, M Maphosa, H Masuku, M Ncube (O Zibande 63rd minute), B Ncube (P Moyo 50th minute) , M Mambare, C Dube

Buffaloes: H Bere, P Alfas, D Chinowawo, J Jambo, P Matizanadzo, T Ndlovu, M Wayerera, P Bamusi (P Mudau 70th minute), B Chirere, R Mwenga (P Thembani 70th minute), S Muchabaya (M Mageja 57th minute)

Other Results

Gunners 1 Monomotapa 0

Hwange 5 Hardbody 1

Motor Action 2 Quelaton 0

Chicken 5 Blue Rangers 1

Black Mambas 0 Dynamos 3


Locardia gets golden handshake from PM

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Nehanda Radio
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Ditched lover Locardia Karimatsenga has withdrawn her US$15 000 a month maintenance claim against Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai after lawyers for the two parties hammered out an out-of-court settlement.

Locardia Karimatsenga (centre)
Locardia Karimatsenga (centre)

Under the agreement, the once off payment will remain undisclosed but saw Karimatsenga withdrawing her claim from the Harare Magistrates’ Civil Court on Monday.

Jonathan Samukange — who is acting for Ms Karimatsenga —confirmed the deal saying “Yes, the matter is now settled. We agreed on a once-off payment, but I cannot disclose the amount involved,” he said.

“On Monday, we filed a notice to withdraw the case that had been set down for today (yesterday). We agreed on a figure that I am not at liberty to disclose.”

A notice of withdrawal filed at the Harare Magistrates’ Civil Court on Monday read: “Be pleased to take notice that the applicant hereby withdraws this action and respondent tenders wasted costs.”

Unconfirmed reports claimed Ms Karimatsenga wanted Tsvangirai to pay her US$500 000 and three oxen whereas Tsvangirai was insisting on US$200 000.

In her suit, the high-spending Karimatsenga wanted monthly payment for her upkeep including $3,000 for rent, $4,000 for groceries and $1,700 for beauty expenses, among other things.

Breakdown of Locardia’s $15,000 monthly maintenance claim:

$3,000 rent

$4,000 groceries

$1,500 clothing allowance

$500 electricity

$1,200 telephone

$500 maid

$300 gardener

$1,000 vehicle and fuel

$700 medical aid

$250 water

$1,700 for hair and beauty

$350 driver.

Soldiers terrorise villagers in Gokwe

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Nehanda Radio
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By Tererai Karimakwenda | SW Radio Africa |

Villagers in Gokwe have reported that uniformed soldiers are forcing them to attend political rallies, where they are being warned that more soldiers with guns will be deployed to punish them if they do not support ZANU PF policies on the constitution and in elections due next year.

Diamond panners rounded up by soldiers in Marange
Diamond panners rounded up by soldiers in Marange in this file photo.

The report comes just a day after Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka, told reporters that Robert Mugabe met with Tsvangirai on Monday and agreed to call a meeting with the country’s army generals, to discuss the issue of political violence and elections.

According to Tamborinyoka, Mugabe and Tsvangirai agreed that peaceful elections can only be held if soldiers were confined to their barracks during the poll. The meeting with army generals is scheduled for early next month.

These meetings with what is called the National Security Council (NSC) are supposed to be held every month, for Mugabe and Tsvangirai to discuss key security issues. But Mugabe has not called an NSC meeting with Tsvangirai for almost 5 months.

Mugabe is commander in chief of the military services and can order the soldiers to stay in their barracks if he wants to, especially during the elections. But given ZANU PF’s history of using the army to intimidate and assault people, there is concern that he is just paying lip service to Tsvangirai and will not restrain soldiers who attack any perceived “enemies of the state”.

Meanwhile an activist from Gokwe told SW Radio Africa that soldiers recently set up a camp at Moses Village in Mapfungautsi district. He said a soldier named Magwizi, who wears a military police uniform, appears to be in charge of the base. Another soldier named Mabhunu, is known to run a base at Nyarupakwe.

Our contact said the soldiers have been preaching ZANU PF propaganda at rallies that they are forcing people to attend. They have lists with the names of all local residents, which they get from traditional leaders like chiefs and headman. Those who fail to attend are penalized.

The next meeting will be held at a place called Rest Camp in Masore Area, which is under Headman Chingoma. It is not clear whether Chingoma is cooperating, or being forced by the soldiers.

Statements recently made by senior ZANU PF officials make it clear the party has no intention of allowing the MDC-T and party president Tsvangirai to take over, if they win the election next year.

In an interview earlier this month, Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told the BBC that Tsvangirai cannot be allowed to win the presidential poll. Chinamasa did not elaborate how this would be done. This was followed by ZANU PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo, telling South African television that there would be bloodshed if Tsvangirai won.

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