News Day

By Wellington Toni

15 June 2013

THE Warriors were finally expected to leave for Guinea early this morning — 2am — 24 hours before their 2014 World Cup football qualifier after a series of mishaps prevented their scheduled departure on Thursday.

Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela confirmed the team would leave aboard Kenyan Airways and were expected in Conakry tonight. This means there will be no time to feel the match venue ahead of the game and fatigue is likely to play a huge factor in the Warriors’ plans.

“The team will leave on Kenyan Airways at 2:00am and arrive in Nairobi at 0615hrs. They will depart Nairobi at 0845hrs and arrive in Dakar, Senegal, at 1530hrs. They will then leave the Senegalese capital at 1920hrs and arrive in Conakry at 2115hrs,” Gwesela said.

He added: “The delegation is made up of 25 members.”

Yesterday, the Warriors held another training session in the afternoon at the National Sports Stadium under the watchful eyes of coach Klaus Dieter Pagels and his assistants Lloyd Mutasa, Peter Ndlovu and Nkululeko Dlamini with the players seemingly unperturbed by the uncertainty surrounding the trip.

Team manager Sharrif Mussa was also in attendance, but together with technical director Nelson Matongorere, will not make the trip. Pagels will travel with 18 players plus assistants Mutasa and  Ndlovu, team physio Farai Maguwu, stand-in team manager Patrick Mutesva, Paradzai Manjonjo and head of delegation Benedict Moyo.

Zifa security officer Lovemore Marange is already in Conakry.

Earlier in the day, Ndlovu had told NewsDay Sport: “You can see how things have been happening; you cannot expect much, but sometimes you just have to defy the odds. We will try.”

Zimbabwe Football Trust chairman Tshinga Dube, whose organisation has been running around trying to raise funds for the trip after securing only 16 tickets on Thursday, described the situation as unfortunate.

Dube’s organisation has been trying to raise $1 million for last week’s match against Egypt and the trip to Guinea, but have received very little support from the corporate sector and the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture.  Zifa have also not revealed how much was obtained from last Sunday’s match against Egypt at the National Sports Stadium.

“Travelling this late is very problematic and temperatures in that country are well over 30 degrees and it will be difficult for the boys to adjust. But we have to fulfil the match and avoid being punished.

“It has been very difficult for us as well as we have been squeezed with trips to Malawi and Zambia and catering for the Egyptians when they came here within a short space of time.

“We even tried to raise money from that match (Egypt) under the Dollar for Football, but we could only raise $200 and R200. It shows that people are very reluctant to give money.

“We even appealed to the ministry to be the guarantor for us so that we get $1 million, but we have not even received a response. They (ministry) said they needed more information from us and we provided it, but still there is no response,” Dube said.

He added:  “The teams that are doing well are those that are financially supported. I am sure the boys are disappointed. It’s like sending them to slaughter because the other team (Guinea) has probably put in much preparation for the match because they want to qualify for the World Cup.

“Our boys are ill-prepared and would be cannon fodder without much chance there.”

Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart, however, said he had not received any letter from Zifa.
“I was in my office until 4pm yesterday (Thursday) and I did not get anything, so I am not aware. I last heard from them before the team went to Egypt (in March), but since then I have not heard from them,” the minister said yesterday.

The Warriors are out of the Brazil race with one point from the campaign having drawn 0-0 with Mozambique after a 1-0 loss to Guinea at home last year.  The back-to-back losses against Egypt (1-2 and 2-4) have ensured Zimbabwe remain rock bottom while the Pharaohs have 12 points from four matches.

Guinea routed Mozambique 6-1 last Sunday and are in second position with seven points and a win will take them to 10 points while Egypt will seal qualification with a victory over the Mambas as they would have an unassailable 15 points.

Squad
Washington Arubi, Max Nyamupanedengu, Archford Gutu, Knowledge Musona, Denver Mukamba, Rodreck Mutuma, Ovidy Karuru, Lincoln Zvasiya, Tafadzwa Rusike, Hardlife Zvirekwi, Patson Jaure, Ocean Mushure, Cuthbert Malajila, Felix Chindungwe, Masimba Mambare, Silas Songani, Eric Chipeta, Devon Chafa

Zim Eye

By Zim Eye Reporter

15 June 2013

A report published by the state media and recycled on social forum websites claiming that MDC Legal Secretary has reportedly broken ranks with his boss, Welshman Ncube by blasting the SADC appeal move for which a special summit is being held today Saturday in Maputo, is unverified.

A recording of the alleged speech by Coltart who is also the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, was still not available at the time of writing after it emerged the state media have in the past 3 years been launching personality attacks on key MDC leaders.

The state media on Friday night reported claiming that Coltart the day before criticised his boss Welshman Ncube and MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai due to their mission to Maputo where they are taking their pre-election concerns amid revelations that ZANU PF is ignoring crucial reforms such as media and security sector transformation.

A comment from Coltart was expected this weekend after the news articles were published on Friday night. An MDC member who declined being named, told ZimEye that David Coltart was the last person who could have made such utterances.

“I have serious concerns on that article. Do they have a recording of it? I know of a certainty that David has been victim of the state media machinery in recent years.

According to the Herald, Coltart said the habit of taking domestic disputes to SADC, which the MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai is fond of, was embarrassing.

“We are a sovereign country and I am a proud Zimbabwean. I do not believe that as a nation we should be guided by any outside country in solving our problems,” Coltart is recorded as having stated.

“It is not worthwhile to be running to Sadc all the time. The irony of it is that when we take our problems to them, we attract criticism and embarrass ourselves.”

The Herald article continued to claim (though without lifting a single quotation of the exact words) Coltart allegedly said that although SADC was the facilitator to the Global Political Agreement, the onus was on Zimbabweans to determine their destiny, also acknowledging that Robert Mugabe acted according to law, according o the Herald.

Mr Coltart, however, noted that there was room for parties to go back to the Constitutional Court, not Sadc, to argue their case citing reasons why they feel July 31 was not feasible, it is claimed.

“I am not one of those who say we should ignore the Constitutional Court ruling because it is binding. I also do not criticise the content of the ruling.

“The correct procedure in my view would be to go back to the Constitutional Court and say it would be difficult to comply with the ruling,” further read the Herald article ascribing words to Coltart.

It was last night speculated that Coltart’s words are a deviation from the official party line and a breaking away from his own boss Welshman Ncube who together with Tsvangirai reacted in anger at the Contitutional Court ruling development which has seen Robert Mugabe rush to prepare the nation for looming elections.

More to follow…

Radio Dialogue

By Makhosi Sibanda

14 June 2013

MDC secretary for legal affairs, David Coltart has likened President Mugabe’s action of unilaterally proclaiming the July 31 general election date to that of Rhodesian colonial leader Ian Smith during the infamous Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) in 1965.

President Mugabe on Thursday fast-tracked changes to electoral laws and proclaimed the election date using his presidential powers act to by-pass parliament to comply with a constitutional court order to hold elections by July 31.

Addressing journalists during the Bulawayo Press Club on Thursday night, Coltart said those behind the proclamation of the election dates seem to have not learnt a lesson from 2008, as they are thinking that they can go ahead with elections on their own and simply disregard the major political and regional players.

“That is precisely what Smith thought when he declared the UDI, he assumed that he will have white leaders snubbing the rest of the world and support him, that was the arrogance then. The great irony for me is that this action is the exactly the same.

“This action goes against the majority of the people in this county want, it goes against what Sadc wantsand it certainly goes against what the broader international community wants and it will come to the same grief that Ian Smith and his Rhodesian Front experienced,” said Coltart.

The Rhodesian UDI attracted widespread international condemnation and the first instance of economic sanctions in the history of the United Nations (UN).

The Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) (Amendment of Electoral Act) Regulations, 2013, Statutory Instrument 85 of 2013 has since been gazetted.

The extra-ordinary Gazette further proclaims that the nomination starts on 28 June 2013.

“We have a serious constitutional dilemma in that we had to comply with constitutional judgement and an obligation to respect the constitution.

“It was constitutionally impossible to comply with the judgement to have an election by 31 July,” said Coltart.

The move by President Mugabe to proclaim the election dates has reportedly caused panic within Mugabe’s partners in the inclusive government with MDC-T leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai rejecting the date, saying the president acted “unconstitutionally”.

Tsvangirai and Professor Welshman Ncube have been pushing for access by all political parties to the state broadcaster and security sector reforms before the polls.

This proclamation will bring intrigue during the SADC meeting on Saturday in Mozambique’s capital Maputo.

In issuing an election proclamation, the President was obliged to act on the advice of the Cabinet and this is laid down by section 31H of the Lancaster House Constitution, a provision that is still in force.

The Independent

By Elias Mambo

14 June 2013

THE controversial Constitutional Court (Concourt) ruling that elections should be held by July 31 this year has placed President Robert Mugabe in a cauldron, given that he has to comply with the court order while at the same time upholding the constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act, which set timelines for the plebiscite.

Mugabe, who quickly embraced the judgment saying he would comply, is under immense pressure to also ensure provisions of the new constitution are not violated.
Mugabe, who has been pushing for early elections since 2010, is in a quandary because he will not be able to fully comply with the Concourt ruling while simultaneously upholding the Electoral Act.

Mugabe is also under pressure from Sadc and the MDC formations in the inclusive government who are demanding full implementation of democratic reforms outlined in the Global Political Agreement — precursor to the unity government.

The MDCs argue elections could be held by October 29 to allow the implementation of reforms since the constitution provides that elections can be held four months after dissolution of parliament on June 29.

Derek Matyszak, a researcher with the Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) insists Mugabe has to uphold provisions of the new constitution if elections are to be credible.

“The new constitution provides that there must be a minimum of 30 days between nomination day and the elections, taking the earliest date for elections, if these laws are to be complied with, to August 3. The president cannot comply with both the Electoral Act and the constitution and the Concourt order all at the same time given these realities,” Matyszak wrote in the Independent last week.

He added: “The new constitution provides that the Electoral Act cannot be changed once the election dates have been announced. But the Electoral Act must be changed to accommodate the new provisions in the constitution relating to proportional representation before the election. Parliament, dominated by the MDC parties, is now unlikely to allow an early passage of the amending Bill.”

Besides the above processes, according to Matyszak, the new constitution also provides that there must be at least 44 days between the announcement of the election date and the actual elections.

If the amendment to the Electoral Act is only passed after June 17, and the president waits for the change to take place, as the constitution requires, before announcing the election dates, there will be less than 44 days left between the announcement of the elections date and July 31.

The 44 days are therefore the minimum period between the proclamation and the elections.

Four days after the Concourt ruling, Zec chairperson Rita Makarau said her commission would not be ready to supervise elections by July 31 as “the voters roll is still in a shambles.”

MDC-T, MDC, Zapu, Zanu Ndonga and Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn, in a rare show of solidarity, agreed to push Sadc to stop Mugabe from proclaiming election dates before full implementations of electoral and democratic reforms.

Sadc developed an elections roadmap to guide the country to credible, free and fair elections after the disputed 2008 elections and regional leaders demanded at summits in Livingstone, Zambia, Sandton in Johannesburg, South Africa, and in Luanda, Angola, the need for Zimbabwe to follow the roadmap prior to elections.

However, Zimbabwe Democracy Institute Director Pedzisai Ruhanya said Mugabe failed to foresee the impact of the Concourt ruling because he was pre-occupied by his rush to hold elections.

“Now he (Mugabe) is in a difficult position because he has to meet the deadline as well as implement the reforms in order to get legitimacy from the regional body, Sadc and the international community,” he said.

Ruhanya also said the other unforeseen effect of the court ruling was the opportunity it had given to the opposition parties to come together and fight from the same corner.

While Sadc, on numerous occasions, has been criticised for treating Mugabe with kid-gloves, analysts say it is unlikely that the regional body will rubber-stamp Zanu PF’s position, even if Mugabe is armed with the Concourt ruling. Public Policy and Governance manager at the Institute for a Democratic Alternative for Zimbabwe, Jabusile Shumba, said Sadc was likely to intensify pressure for credible elections.

“Sadc will intensify pressure on Mugabe because all other parties have shown how serious elections are by holding internal polls for candidates to represent them in the harmonised elections, except for Zanu PF which has not even finalised rules for its polls,” Shumba said.

Habakkuk Trust chief executive officer Dumisani Nkomo said the Concourt ruling was like a double-edged sword aimed at Mugabe.

“The ruling is a double-edged sword aimed at Mugabe, whose party is in a shambles and not even ready for its own internal elections and, on the other hand, Sadc requires the implementation of its initiated election roadmap,” Nkomo said.

“We have to see how Mugabe emerges out of this self-imposed conundrum without amputating part of his dignity,” he said.

Observers claim if Mugabe wants to comply with the ruling, he has to make sure that reforms are implemented and that all the electoral processes stipulated in the new constitution are followed to the letter, demands that make it practically impossible to meet the July 31 deadline.

Cabinet on Tuesday endorsed proposed amendments to align the Electoral Act with the new constitution, with prospective candidates for the forthcoming elections now being able to submit their nomination papers to Zec for scrutiny before the sitting of the nomination court, among other changes.

The Concourt ruling has also opened what could turn out to be a flood of petitions with individuals filing papers to stop elections from being held on July 31.
By Wednesday this week two people had approached the courts to file their petitions. Last Friday, A Bulawayo woman, Maria Phiri, filed a Supreme Court application seeking to overturn a Constitutional Court ruling to have polls held before July 31, while another Harare man, human rights activist Nixon Nyikadzino also made an application at the ConCourt on Monday seeking to compel Mugabe to proclaim an election date only after complying with constitutional requirements.

Pressure is also mounting on Mugabe who tomorrow will face regional leaders at the Sadc extra-ordinary summit in Maputo, Mozambique, which will deal with Zimbabwe’s preparedness for elections, poll funding and the contentious Concourt ruling.

Quoting the Latin maxim Lex non cogit ad impossibilia (the law does not require one to do the impossible) Zimbabwe Lawyers say Mugabe does not have to do what is practically and legally impossible to meet the July 31 deadline. Constitutional lawyer and MDC minister, David Coltart, suggested that the only way out of the “constitutional quagmire” is to go to the Constitutional Court for a fresh court order enabling the country to avoid being in contravention of other electoral provisions and the constitution.

The Financial Gazette

By Clemence Manyukwe

13 June 2013

IN politics, it is often said there are no permanent allies or enemies, but only permanent interests.

In the past few months, Lovemore Madhuku, one of the country’s leading constitutional lawyers, has proved the truism of that statement.

His occasional outbursts against his former allies in the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) have come as a surprise to many.

Madhuku’s marked departure from his allies’ path became more pronounced last year when he said President Robert Mugabe would be justified to call for fresh polls under the Lancaster House constitution.

At the time, most reform-minded Zimbabweans and the Southern African Development Community were all rooting for a new charter, which became a reality last month when it was signed into law by the incumbent.

This week, Madhuku appeared to be toeing ZANU-PF’s line when he said foreign firms   were seeking to re-colonise the country while blasting Prime Minister (PM) Morgan Tsvangirai, his erstwhile ally, as “narrow-minded.”

His most frightening suggestion came this week when he said President Mugabe should enforce electoral amendments through a presidential decree thereby subverting the role of Parliament.

By urging the President to cut corners and make Parliament redundant even before the lawful expiry of its term, Madhuku was seen advocating the violation of the principle of separation of powers in favour of political expediency.

This week political analyst, Ricky Mukonza, said if the recommendation was implemented, it would drag the country back to the dark ages.

“I think allowing the President to make such a decree is undemocratic and it would appear we are moving back to the era before the new Constitution,” said Mukonza.

Parliamentary expert, John Makamure agreed, saying  while it was lawful for President  Mugabe to use his presidential powers, this is only justified upon Parliament’s dissolution.

“Presidential powers are only justified when Parliament has been dissolved. Why would the President do that when Parliament has not rejected the Electoral Amendment Bill?” retorted Makamure.

“The primary role of Parliament is to make law, so Parliament should be allowed to exercise its role without interference from the Executive arm of government.”

Makamure said there was enough time for the Electoral Amendment Bill to pass all Parliamentary stages before the dissolution of the legislature on June 29 as there are mechanisms for fast-tracking laws if the need arises.

But as analysts took a dim view of Madhuku’s sentiments, the law professor has become a darling of the State media, marking a departure from yester-year when he was treated like an outcast.

Madhuku has also lauded a Constitutional Court judgment setting a July 31 poll deadline as sound, while paying scant attention on calls to level the political playing field.

It’s not only the MDC-T which has dismissed Madhuku. The other political parties such as ZAPU,  the Welshman Ncube-led MDC as well as civil society organisations have not accepted his  reasoning.

Last week, Ncube told his supporters that everyone needed to respect court judgments, but courts should avoid inviting intellectual ridicule.

“When you have immense final judicial authority, as does our Constitutional Court,  you must not make judgments’ which tell us    that 1 plus 1 equals 3. I have read and reread  the majority judgment over and over againand again and I have read again and again the provisions of the former constitution and the current Constitution that fell for interpretation and my mind refuses to accept the possibility of the correctness of that judgment,” said Ncube.

“To accept that judgment as correct would amount to me committing grave violence on my intellect. With the greatest respect, the majority judgment is plainly wrong.”

This week, David Coltart, the MDC secretary for legal affairs described Madhuku’s call for presidential powers to be revoked at this stage as astonishing and simply ludicrous.

He dismissed Madhuku’s assertions that a proclamation made now would not be prejudicial as those seeking to contest polls were not first time voters.

Coltart argued that such reasoning ignores provisions of section 43 of the Constitution, which allows tens of thousands of Zimbabweans who were viewed as aliens to vote and contest polls.

But is there a possible explanation for Madhuku’s new thinking?

Media analyst, Brighton Musonza, offered some insights.

“I think Madhuku is stuck on his dislike of the new Constitution such that he holds it in contempt because he opposed how it came into being and so he has  the latent desire to undermine it for his long-term agenda to prolong the call for a new charter,” said Musonza.

Last year, the MDC-T released a statement suggesting that Madhuku may be on ZANU-PF’s payroll, adding that his reasoning was now seriously impaired by what it termed fanaticism of President Mugabe.

The party’s conclusion came as both foes and friends have previously portrayed Madhuku as a crooked character.

In a leaked WikiLeaks cable, the then United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Christopher Dell said Madhuku generally overstates the size of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) protests and questioned the effectiveness of his demonstrations.

Madhuku is the NCA chairperson.

Previously, President Mugabe has described Madhuku as an opportunist influenced by the love of money.

“There are some fraudulent human rights campaigners like Lovemore Madhuku and his NCA who, when broke, intentionally provoke the police in order to get arrested and raise money from the donors…That’s the Madhuku survival strategy for you,” said President Mugabe.

Madhuku has also been accused of preaching what he does not practice and thinking that politics is about books.

After accusing President Mugabe of clinging to power, in 2006 he was controversially re-elected as NCA chairperson after amending the group’s constitution and even though he was supposed to complete his final term in 2011, he remains at the helm of the assembly.

The Zimbabwean 

By Nelson Sibanda

13 June 2013

Zimbabwe has made albinism a national issue and government will do everything possible to help improve the welfare of people in the circumstances, said Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, at a stakeholder meeting on people living with albinism held in Harare yesterday.

More than 17 000 Zimbabweans live with albinism and experience stigmatisation in all aspects of life, a situation Tsvangirai says must be reversed, since all people are equal before the Zimbabwe constitution.

Government ministries such as that for Health and Child Welfare, Education Sport, Art and Culture, Labour and Social Services, Information, Communication Technology, Local Government, Rural Development and Finance, pledged to play their part in making life bearable for people living with albinism.

Tsvangirai said government will put albinism in the public domain and tackle it as a national issue.

“As PM, I will personally champion the cause and supervise participation of relevant government ministries in this regard. It is government obligation to provide needs for people living with albinism like any other disability and make sure opportunities are opened for them,” said Tsvangirai.

Tsvangirai said it is high time people living with albinism are given priority in spheres of life such as education, hospitals, job market among others.

Government was urged to comply with the UN convention on rights of people living with disabilities.

“Providing for an estimated 17, 000 people living with albinism should not be a challenge for government, given massive natural resources bestowed on Zimbabwe,” said Tsvangirai.

Zimbabwe was described as a caring nation which should extend that goodwill to members of the albino community.

Tsvangirai promised people living with albinism a hopeful life with government support.

He described people living with albinism as a multi-talented community which should not feel sorry for itself.

Minister of Health and Child Welfare Henry Madzorera, said his ministry will do everything possible to provide medical requirements such as skin creams, sunglasses among others are available at local clinics.

“My ministry will help ensure basic needs for people living with albinism are accessible at local clinics and pharmacies,” said Madzorera.

He said cancer which continued to claim significant lives of people living with albinism must be tamed, given that it is preventable.

Communities were urged to help facilitate early detection of cancer for the ministry of health to take timeous counter measures.

Government would partner with NGOs to help provide needs for people living with albinism.

Ministry of health provides mobile eye treatment services to people living with albinism and other members from communities. It also treats eye patients at central hospitals such as Parirenyatwa.

Health training institutions would provide medical students with skills to counsel parents with children living with albinism.

Minister of education David Coltart said it is government policy that all schools should be accessible for children living with albinism.

He said if it were not of economic challenges, government would have loved to provide schools with facilities for children living with different forms of disabilities and physical challenges such as albinism.

Zimbabwe was falling short of its obligations to provide for children living with albinism and other disabilities, ‘due to underfunding for the Ministry of Education’.

Coltart urged partners at the meeting to come up with a special document for respective ministries to act upon.

“If my ministry is provided with a document indicating specific requirements for people living with albinism, I will prioritise the requests and attend to them within the remaining few months before elections,” said Coltart.

Coltart said if provided with a database about children living with albinism and their location, his ministry will attend to the needs a matter of urgency.

Minister of Information, Communication Technology, Nelson Chamisa, described the meeting as a right step in the right direction towards addressing of issues affecting people living with albinism.

He said catering for needs of people living with albinism should not be a headache for government.

“In my own capacity and that of minister of labour and Social Services who is absent on duty, I am taking issues raised by people living with albinism to government and push for an immediate positive response,” said Chamisa.

Chamisa said issues to do with albinism should be attended at both national and global levels. “This is a pure and noble cause which every one of us should be proud to be identified with.”

Acting chairperson for the Zimbabwe Albino Association, Richard Nyati, said: “People living with albinism continued to be discriminated and experience stigmatisation due to public ignorance.”

He said people living with albinism are discriminated against from family level to schools, hospitals and work places.

At work places people living with albinism would be assigned to backyard work, since employers do not want them to mix with company clients.

Given their sight problems, children living with albinism would drop science subjects at school and out of choice later pursue art and commercial courses.

News Day

By News Day Reporter

12 June 2013

While politics is often referred to as a dirty game, it can be dirtier when it affects children’s basic right to education.

The case of a five-year-old pre-school going Harare boy who was last week reportedly expelled from creche at 1 Commando Barracks because of his father’s allegiance to the MDC-T is clear testimony of the need for security sector reforms.

Enos Choga’s father, Kubvoruno, is the MDC-T secretary for Chirumanzu Zibagwe district in Midlands South, but works in Harare.

Schools, whether private or government-owned, should never discriminate in their enrolment of pupils on the grounds of political affiliation. If the army, which is supposed to be impartial, stoops so low, then the dream of professionalism and political neutrality in the security sector is far from being realised. This further shows the urgency and importance of security sector reform.

Education minister David Coltart is on record saying schools must not be zones of political contention, but the behaviour by the army school leaves a lot to be desired.Questions abound on whether the curricular being taught is the same as the one taught in other schools. That Choga senior was interrogated over his political persuasion by the school authorities is a clear sign of how the army is meddling in politics and bent on eliminating from their schools anyone with links to parties viewed as pro-Western.

This explains the insistence of the MDC formations and other democratic forces on the need for security sector reform to ensure that the army is not partisan and is for the people, not for individual political parties seeking to cling on to power by any means possible.

Though Zimbabwe National Army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Alphios Makotore maintained that Enos was still at school, the behaviour by the army alienates itself from the people they are supposed to serve.

The latest development, together with cases of army chiefs blasting other political parties and vowing never to salute or at least recognise anything, but Zanu PF is clear indication of the significance of security sector reform in the country.

True to a recent Sadc resolution in South Africa, President Jacob Zuma said security sector reform in Zimbabwe can no longer be postponed.

The development flies in the face of Zanu PF which has ruled out security sector reforms as demanded by the MDCs.  By law, children of civilians should be allowed to learn at institutions of their choice either owned by the army or otherwise.

The incident involving Choga’s child is a true reflection of the repressive behaviour to which a whole army can sink once it begins to sing for its supper and pander to the whims of politicians who have outlived their political shelf lives and use the army to prop them up to keep them in office.

We call on the army to “man up” and realise that their allegiance should be with the people of Zimbabwe and not a few politicians whose political careers are slowly trudging to an end.

The Herald

By Chris Mhike

12 June 2013

PROFESSOR Jonathan Nathaniel Moyo, a central Zanu-PF politician, brutally attacked three lawyers and the Prime Minister (PM) of the Republic of Zimbabwe in a so-called opinion piece published in

the Monday June 3 2013 edition of The Herald newspaper under the heading “When lawyers become pedestrian for political expediency.”

The “crime” committed by the lawyers was their expression of views on issues arising out of the Jealousy Mbizvo Mawarire vs Robert Gabriel Mugabe N.O + 4 Others case (CCZ 1/13), wherein the Constitutional Court declared that Zimbabwe’s next harmonised elections should be conducted as soon as possible, and in any event by July 31 2013.

In his article, Moyo referred to the three as “good for nothing lawyers,” then “bush lawyers” and he sought to entrench the “open mouth, shut mind” cliché that he has crafted specially for anti-PM insults.

Moyo’s vitriolic assault on his four targets — Hon. Senator David Coltart, Chris Mhike, Greg Linnington (lawyers), and Rt. Hon Morgan Tsvangirai (PM) was further developed in The Sunday Mail edition of June 9–15 2013, under at least two articles. One was another piece by Moyo entitled: “Tsvangirai’s open zip, open mouth and shut mind,” and the other by Moyo’s comrade Dr Tafataona Mahoso, who penned an equally bellicose expose under the heading: “Lawfare and MDCs’ fear of elections.”

The targeting of lawyers in newspaper columns is not a new phenomenon in Zimbabwe. One of the worst affected victims is eminent lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa, who is constantly featured in The Herald’s Nathaniel Manheru column, a section that was introduced when Moyo was a Government Minister with significant influence on affairs at Zimpapers — the media house that publishes the newspaper.

Jonathan Moyo & Co (in this article “& Co refers to “and comrades”) have in the past, spewed hateful speech against Mtetwa, to abhorrent and xenophobic levels.

Even judges have fallen victim to the culture of press-based hate speech.

Justice Charles Hungwe’s current woes were preceded by intensive and adverse press coverage.

Of course, Professor Moyo & Co are entitled to their opinions, but they must seriously re-consider the method and language of their communications.  In placing their views in the public domain through the mass media, the expression of their views could easily adulterate the flow of information on these platforms from the mass communication form that it should be, into mass destruction; of Zimbabwe’s social, moral or academic fabric.

While there has been massive speculation about Jonathan Moyo & Co’s intimate involvement in the Mawarire case, I will not even bother addressing the legal issues that Moyo raises in his article, for doing so is pointless in the limited space that is available to the writer in this column.

In any event, Moyo is certainly not adequately geared to meaningfully engage with any of the three lawyers that he attacks in his article, in terms of literacy on legal issues. Information at hand from impeccable sources is to the effect that Moyo’s current ambitions beside his quest for ascendency on the political ladder also include enrolment into law school so that he also becomes a lawyer, like three of the targets of his subject Herald article.

However, before Moyo commences his legal studies and completes same, he must perhaps confine himself to political science, and related simple matters, for which he is schooled — then leave the interpretation of law to lawyers. If he insists on participating in discourse on law, then he must do so in more civilised language.

In the June 3, 2013, article he seeks, as he has done in previous commentary, to present himself as a guru in legal matters. The State-controlled media often includes Moyo’s interpretations in stories headlined “. . . say Legal Experts.” Now he believes that his own layman’s views are more credible than the training-and-practice based interpretations of lawyers.

What is more worrisome though is the fact that the language used by Jonathan Moyo & Co in their attacks on lawyers, MDC politicians, and other citizens, is gravely harmful to the peace, integrity and harmony of Zimbabwean society. The culture of violence and insult on account of difference in opinion is poisonous to Zimbabwe’s sound societal configuration.

In attacking the three lawyers, Moyo infests his ‘opinion’ with derogatory terms like “nonsense,” “Rhodie,” “living in cuckoo land,” “pedestrian,” “bush lawyers,” and “MDC politics of treachery.

While well educated and less educated Asians, Americans and Europeans make breakthrough inventions in the mobile phone and computer, aviation and motor car, rocket science, educational science and medical fields, and many other developmental sectors, some of our professors and high-ranking politicians here spend considerable time concocting noxious slurs.

This trait has resulted in a situation where the decency and politesse that should characterise debate in a democratic and civilised society, is fast vanishing from ours.

In his Herald article, Moyo shuns the academic and dignified etiquette that is expected of the professor that he is.

He resorts to the primitive customs of name-calling, racism and ‘character assassination,’ particularly in respect of Senator Coltart.

Moyo paints Coltart’s personal history unfairly and inaccurately, in extremely pejorative terms, as if his own (Moyo) history is saintly.

Unfortunately, the disdain for lawyers displayed by Jonathan Moyo & Co in their regular and lengthy communications generally translates into actual ill-treatment for lawyers at courts, police stations, prisons, and other work stations these days.

Last week the writer witnessed the humiliation and frustration of fellow lawyers — Mtetwa, Norman Bvekwa, and Admire Rubaya at Rotten Row Magistrates’ Court as these were made to sit and wait for practically an entire day, by a magistrate who arrogantly and stubbornly refused to postpone their case to a more convenient date.

Certain prosecutors, judicial officers, policemen/ women, and state officials have ceased to accord lawyers the respect they have traditionally enjoyed, or that obtains for lawyers in other civilised jurisdictions.

This disrespect and harassment, the repulsive language being used against lawyers and against the generality of the population especially against ‘opposition politicians,’ and the presentation of non-lawyer partisan politicians as legal experts or as objective commentators in the media in Zimbabwe, today all threaten the good order and purity of our society. What are our children learning from all this hate and mudslinging?

We expect our politicians and the media to do better, for peace, sanity and civilisation begins with politicians, with the media, and with all of us!

Chris Mhike is a lawyer practising in Harare.  He writes in his personal capacity.

SW Radio Africa

By Alex Bell

12 June 2013

The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has raised concerns about an alleged ‘purge’ of its members in Harare, who blow the whistle on corruption at their respective schools.

The teachers’ union is seeking answers over the forced transfer of teachers in the Mbare/Hatfield district of Harare, in what they say are unclear, suspicious circumstances.

PTUZ Secretary General Raymond Majongwe told SW Radio Africa that there still needs to be a proper explanation from the education authorities about the transfers. But he said it was suspicious that the teachers facing these measures are the same PTUZ members who have reported corruption and financial abuse at their schools.

“There is nothing wrong in rationing personnel in schools and transferring teachers from overstaffed schools to those with a shortage. But we are disappointed that the process is targeting those PTUZ members who crossed paths with their corrupt school heads, by acting as whistle-blowers,” Majongwe explained.

He said the process of transferring the teachers to deal with overstaffing has become a “circus,” and “criminal.”

“All the affected teachers are PTUZ members. There is, therefore, more than what meets the eye,” Majongwe said.

According to the PTUZ, teachers from Allan Wilson, Queen Elizabeth and Hatfield High Schools have so far been affected. But Majongwe said they are receiving fresh information that “no school in Harare Metropolitan Province is going to be spared of the ongoing purge.

He also questioned the timing of this process, adding it is “highly suspicious that this is happening and targeting active PTUZ members, this close to elections..

The PTUZ will next week deliver a petition to Education Minister David Coltart, calling on the Minister to intervene and help stop the victimization of its members. That petition will be delivered next Wednesday after a planned march by the teachers’ union.

The Herald

By Herald Reporter

11 June 2013

The new Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board is facing crippling financial challenges to kick-start its operations, four months after it was installed by the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture,  David Coltart.

Chairman of the board, Paul Nenjarama, said his board had to start from scratch as they was no proper hand-over take-over with the previous one that was led by Richard Hondo.

Nenjarama said the new board is hoping to schedule a meeting with the Minister to brief him on the challenges they are facing as they hope to bring sanity to the sport, following years of mismanagement.

“We considered the first quarter, which was February, March and April, to be a transitional period and we were expecting a hand-over, take-over with the old board,” said Nenjarama.

“There was lack of co-operation, hence there was no hand-over, take-over as such.

“This board decided that they would start on ground zero to lay the foundation for boxing, which we all desire to be resuscitated.

“As you all know, the treasury is short of funds and the SRC themselves are battling. You cannot run a board with no money. So funds have to be provided.

“Again the same Act (Boxing and Wrestling Control Act) says the Minister can be able to release whatever comes from treasury an amount of US$2 000 and that is actually a loan which we have to pay back.

“But it’s necessary for us to be able to kick-start.” The board currently does not have an office to carry out their daily activities and have appealed to the Sports Commission to give them space.

Nenjarama said they are in the process of setting up a data base for boxers, promoters and officials. The board has set annual licencing fees at US$25 for boxers, US$50 for trainers, US$75 for promoters and other officials involved in boxing will pay US$25.

No one will be allowed to participate in boxing activities without a licence.

“We do realise we are now halfway through the year. So those fees will be slashed to half the amount in each category.

“Licences will be given to all those who are in need of them after paying the fees,” said Nenjarama.

Other members of the board are boxing promoter Lorraine Muringi, medical practitioner Farai Muchena, promoter Ed Hammond, Tsitsi Muzuva, Alexander Kwangwari, Gilbert Munetsi, Charles Dzimba and Patrick Mukondiwa.