http://www.swradioafrica.com/
By Alex Bell
SW
Radio Africa
01 July 2013
Calls by US President Barack Obama for
real reforms in Zimbabwe ahead of
elections have angered ZANU PF, with party
loyalists accusing the American
leader of meddling and insulting
Africans.
Obama made the remarks while in South Africa over the weekend,
as part of
his official tour of African nations. He told reporters that bad
governance
in Zimbabwe was responsible for the countrys problems, including
the
destruction of the economy.
If you look at Zimbabwe, it used to
be one of the wealthiest countries on
the continent. And that governance has
led to an economic disaster. Its now
starting to come back. And thanks to
the work of people like President
(Jacob) Zuma, theres an opportunity now
to move into a new phase where
perhaps Zimbabwe can finally achieve all its
promise. But that requires fair
and free elections, and it requires those
currently in power in Zimbabwe to
recognise that the interest of all people
have to be served there, Obama
said.
ZANU PF has reacted with anger,
which could clearly be seen in the partys
mouthpiece newspaper the Herald
on Monday. The newspaper criticised Obama
for abusing his visit to South
Africa to meddle in Zimbabwes internal
affairs. The paper also quoted a
number of ZANU PF loyal analysts like
Jonathan Moyo, Charity Manyeruke and
war vets leader Jabulani Sibanda, who
offered their
criticisms.
Sibanda was quoted as saying that Zimbabwe is a sovereign
nation governed
by its laws not the opinions of foreigners, and the
country doesnt want
interference from foreigners. Moyo meanwhile
described Obamas statements
as insults to Zimbabweans and progressive
South Africans. Manyeruke was
also scathing, saying Obama wants to see
Zimbabwe turn into another Somalia
so that the Americans can come in and
plunder the countrys resources.
Political analyst Clifford Mashiri said
Obamas comments are welcome, and
reflect the widespread concerns of
Zimbabwean civil society and citizens. He
said the ZANU PF reaction is
unsurprising.
It is expected that ZANU PF would react in a nasty and
hostile way. This is
how they always react when they are being told things
they do not want to
hear, Mashiri said.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
07/01/13 11:47 AM ET EDT Associated Press
Harare -
The Zimbabwe president's party says US President Barack Obama's
calls for
more democratic reforms ahead of elections in this southern
African nation
are "hypocritical".
Zimbabwe state radio reported on Monday that
Christopher Mutsvangwa, a
former ambassador to China appointed by President
Robert Mugabe, said Obama,
currently visiting Africa, voiced "a sinister
plan" to influence Zimbabwe's
elections to oust longtime ruler Mugabe,
89.
Speaking in Cape Town on Sunday, Obama criticised Zimbabwe for bad
governance and said the country is unlikely to have fair elections later
this month due to fear and insecurity among voters and bias by the police
and military.
In response Zimbabwe's state-owned Herald newspaper
said Obama did not
acknowledge American law-breaking in Afghanistan, Iran
and Iraq.
The newspaper said Obama was mired in "international barbarism,
drone
assassinations and spying".
- AP
http://www.newzimbabwe.com/
30/06/2013
00:00:00
by Staff Reporter I Agencies
PRESIDENT Barack Obama
said on Sunday that political corruption destroyed
the hope of liberation in
Zimbabwe's as he called for free and fair
elections in the
country.
Obama, who was in South Africa on the second leg of his Africa trip,
said
economic recovery had given Zimbabwe an opportunity to advance but only
if
upcoming elections were "free and fair."
President Robert Mugabe,
at 89 Africa's oldest leader, is seeking to extend
his three-decade rule in
elections scheduled for July 31. But the
opposition wants to delay the poll
to allow reforms designed to prevent a
repeat of the bloodshed that marred
the 2008 election.
"Zimbabweans have a new constitution. The economy is
beginning to recover.
So there is an opportunity to move forward," Obama
said in a televised
speech at the University of Cape Town during his
three-nation Africa visit.
"But only if there is an election that is free
and fair and peaceful so that
Zimbabweans can determine their future without
fear of intimidation and
retribution," Obama said.
Speaking at a
media briefing after bilateral talks with President Jacob Zuma
on Saturday
Obama said: We discussed the situation in Zimbabwe and
President Zuma has
played an important role in the regions mediation
efforts.
We
agreed that the harassment of citizens and groups needs to stop, and
reforms
need to move forward so the people of Zimbabwe can cast their votes
in
elections that are fair, and free, and credible.
Mugabe, in power since
1980, has been accused by critics of rigging
elections and driving the
economy into near ruin by scaring off investors
with polices such as the
seizure of white-owned farms for redistribution to
landless
blacks.
After a decade of contraction which saw the domestic currency
rendered
worthless by hyper-inflation, the economy has been growing again,
in part
because Zimbabwe has dumped its own dollar in favour of the U.S.
dollar.
Obama said "the promise of liberation gave way to the corruption
of power
and then the collapse of the economy."
Zimbabwe used to be
one of the wealthiest countries on the continent. And
that governance has
led to an economic disaster, he said.
Its not starting to come back.
And thanks to the work of people like
President Zuma, theres an opportunity
now to move into a new phase where
perhaps Zimbabwe can finally achieve all
its promise.
But that requires fair and free elections, and it requires
those currently
in power in Zimbabwe to recognize that the interest of all
people have to be
served there.
Mugabe however, blames sanctions
imposed by the US and other Western
countries for Zimbabwes economic
problems.
The European Union (EU), the US as well as Australia have partially
relaxed
the sanctions to reward the country for a series of reforms that
include the
new constitution.
The EU however warned that it would
re-impose the sanctions if the country
fails to organise a credible vote.
http://www.swradioafrica.com/
By Alex Bell
SW Radio
Africa
01 July 2013
The Southern African Development Community
(SADC) is hoping for at least a
months delay of the proclaimed July 31st
election date, according to a
senior official involved in mediating a
solution to Zimbabwes political
crisis.
Lindiwe Zulu, who is part of
the South African mediation team led by
President Jacob Zuma, told the
Bloomberg news service over the weekend that
they are hopeful that
Zimbabwes Constitutional Court will extend the poll
date by a
month.
Zulu was quoted as saying that SADC is hoping the (Constitutional
Court)
will be sensitive to the process of the resolution of some of the
tensions
in the build-up to elections.
The Court will on Thursday
hear a consolidated application that is seeking
to have the election date
changed. The applications were last week grouped
together after a number of
separate cases were put before the Court. This
includes the contentious one
filed by Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa,
and the counter application
fielded by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and
MDC leader Welshman
Ncube.
The Court is being asked to review its decision to order Robert
Mugabe to
proclaim an election date by July 31st, which the ZANU PF leader
subsequently did last month. If the ConCourt remains steadfast on its
decision there will be just 28 days to the election, from Thursday to July
31st.
Political analyst Pedzisai Ruhanya told SW Radio Africa that
SADC needs to
be more explicit about what it wants from Zimbabwe, arguing
that the timing
of elections is not as important as the reforms that need to
take place. He
criticised the region for previously saying it will support
whatever the
Constitutional Court rules, instead of focusing on the reforms
needed in the
country.
It is important for the region and for SADC
to pin down Zimbabwe to
implement the reforms. So what matters now is not an
election date. If SADC
continues to insist on calling for an election date
without biting, then
this toothless bulldog will once again just serve to
confuse Zimbabweans
about their intentions, Ruhanya said.
By Violet Gonda
SW Radio
Africa
01 July 2013
A group of organizations involved in the pro-democracy movement have created a website with an electronic voters roll, after years of refusals from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to provide this service.
It is the same voters roll that ZEC has, and Zimbabweans from anywhere in the world can access it. All you need do is enter your ID number to check if you are registered.
The development comes after a preliminary report has been compiled, and will be handed to ZEC this week, which is a damning expose showing massive ballot stuffing in various constituencies around the country. The report shows there are significantly more people who have registered to vote than the actual population in many areas.
The MDC-T obtained a voters roll dated May 27th2013 and it is believed it is this same roll that is being supplied by a coalition of civic groups to provide clear, simple and accurate voter registration information for the general public, as the country prepares for polls scheduled for July 31st.
Zimbabweans are encouraged to check the newwww.myzimvote.comwebsite and to take any queries or anomalies found to the relevant authorities, such as the ZEC.
Zimbabwean voters roll expert, Topper Whitehead, who was deported from Zimbabwe in 2006 after exposing how the former ruling party rigged the 2002 presidential election and subsequent elections, said it is a tragedy that ZEC has been reluctant to supply an electronic voters roll.
Whitehead is among the group of people who extensively studied the updated voters roll and gave this information to the organizations that will release the report to ZEC. He said the report reveals mindboggling figures.
Zimbabwe did a national census last year but if you compare that census with the voters roll in the various age bands, from 30 and above, there are more registered voters than there are people registered as far as the census is concerned, Whitehead said.
The roll is said to have at least 5.8 million registered voters, of people over the age of 18. Zimbabwes population is 12 million according the recent population census.
Whitehead added: When compared with the actual age bands you will see that there are more registered voters than there are people. It is frightening to see that there are some ghost voters on the voters roll.
Tens of thousands of Zimbabweans have not been able to get to registration centres to check if they are on the voters roll and many have spent numerous hours trying to physically check. But if people have access to the internet, the group behindmyzimvotesay thewebsite is a fast and convenient way to inspect the voters roll.
The website has been so popular that many people have had problems accessing it due to the large volumes of traffic to the website, that overloaded the server at one time. The organization said this problem has been dealt with and everyone should be able to check it at any time.
http://www.voazimbabwe.com/
Thomas
Chiripasi
01.07.2013
HARARE The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Monday
urged unity government
principals to move with speed and secure $132 million
the electoral body
needs to adequately finance this years
elections.
With only 30 days before national elections scheduled for July
31, ZEC says
the treasury is yet to release money it intends to use to run
this years
polls.
Chairperson Rita Makarau told journalists after
meeting Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai at his Charter House offices that
the electoral body
should be adequately financed in the run-up to the polls.
Makarau said her
commissions machinery is ready to roll but needs
oiling.
The ZEC chief said government has promised to look for funds for
the
elections but added time was fast running out.
Tsvangirais
spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka, confirmed the ZEC request,
adding that
Finance Minister Tendai Biti, who also attended the meeting,
said his
department was doing all it can to ensure the polls are adequately
financed.
Minister Biti is on record saying Harare is cash-strapped,
adding the
government would require external support to finance this years
crunch
polls although nothing has materialized from requests to the Southern
African Development Community and other bodies.
Turning to the
on-going voter registration, Tamborinyoka said Tsvangirai
expressed concern
to ZEC over the slow pace of the exercise in urban
centres.
Tsvangirai, Tamborinyoka said, also expressed his concern
about what he said
was a shadowy Israeli organization called Nikuv that is
working with the
Registrar Generals office to allegedly tamper with the
voters roll.
Tamborinyoka added that the premier is also concerned about
the number of
police officers who have applied for postal voting for the
forthcoming
elections.
Makarau said the names of those who qualify
for special voting would be
subjected to public scrutiny.
President
Robert Mugabe proclaimed July 31st as the date for elections and
Justice
Minister Patrick Chinamasa has asked the constitutional court to
delay the
polls to August 14th in line with a SADC directive.
But the date could
change if the court rules in favour of Tsvangirai and
Industry Minister
Welshman Ncube, leader of the smaller MDC formation, who
have challenged Mr.
Mugabe's decision to have national elections end of the
month.
Tsvangirai and Ncube argue that Mugabes proclamation was
unconstitutional,
adding key democratic reforms need to be implemented
before the date of
elections is fixed.
The Sunday Independent
Chaos marked Friday's nomination day ahead of Zimbabwe's elections which are expected next month.
Since President Robert Mugabe unilaterally proclaimed elections for July 31, political parties had four days instead of two weeks to complete complex registration forms for thousands of candidates, some in remote rural areas. The elections are more complicated this time because the polls are a new mix of winner-takes-all and proportional representation.
The two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) parties complained that some temporary staff hired by the election commission at the courts were untrained and did not understand new electoral laws
It all looked quiet and orderly to me. I didnt hear of any problems. The civil service were helping candidates of all political parties.
"No SADC country should give money to the government for these elections when Mugabe has basically told them to fXXX off, Ncube said.
Ncube said Friday that Zanu PF will find money for elections: They will raid bank accounts, raid parastatals, raid the HIV/ AIDS levy, that sort of thing, as they did in the past.
| ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
THE Registrar Generals (RG) office continues to demand that holders of foreign passports surrender them before registering to vote, apparently ignoring last weeks Constitutional Court ruling which effectively endorsing dual citizenship, it has emerged. South Africa-based businessman Mutumwa Mawere filed a successful Constitutional Court application requesting that his right to dual citizenship be confirmed after RG Tobaiwa Mudede had refused to restore his citizenship in line with the new Constitution. Mudede had asked Mawere to renounce his South African citizenship first, contending that dual citizenship remained illegal even under the new Constitution. But the court ruled in Maweres favour last Thursday and stated that the refusal or failure to issue (Mawere) with a national identity document upon application on May 27, 2013, was unlawful and in contravention of section 36(1) and applicants right to vote enshrined in section 67(3)(a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. The [Registrar-General] is interdicted from demanding the applicant to first renounce his foreign-acquired citizenship before he can be issued with a national identity document. Mawere, subsequently,
managed to secure a new national identity card and register as a
voter.
However, MDC legal affairs secretary and education minister David Coltart said the RGs office was continuing to demand that holders of foreign passports surrender them first before they can change their identity documents. The effect of (the Mawere)
judgement is that all those born in Zimbabwe who have foreign passports cannot
be denied the right to a Zimbabwean passport, the right to register and the
right to vote, Coltart said in a statement. I have no doubt that this is a deliberate and desperate measure by the RG's office to deny thousands of Zimbabweans the right to vote because they know that all those citizens who have been regarded as "aliens" and treated with such contempt by Zanu PF during the last decade will not vote for Zanu PF, he said. I appreciate that this policy is designed to frustrate and deter citizens - so that they simply give up and cannot vote. Please do not give up - please be determined to get your citizenship back, to register and then to vote these people out of office. The future of our country is too important for us just to give up in the face of people who want to frustrate us and deny us fundamental rights. It is going to take patience, dogged determination, endurance and time to do this but it is critical that everyone tries. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is currently registering voters around the country in an exercise expected to run until July 9. President Robert Mugabe had proclaimed that elections would be held on July 31 but the Constitutional Court is set to hear various applications seeking a delay of the vote on Thursday.
| ||||||||||
http://www.voazimbabwe.com/
01.07.2013
HARARE Its eight years now since
the massive Murambatsvina clean-up
exercise that left hundreds of thousands
displaced from their homes in an
operation that was criticized by the
international community.
Now theres hope that victims of the operation
could get some assistance
following parliaments ratification of the African
Union Convention for the
Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced
Persons.
Amnesty International Zimbabwe director Cousin Zilala says the
ratification
of the convention, also known as the Kampala Convention, gives
hope to
survivors of operation Murambatsvina and other internally displaced
persons
that life can now improve.
Zilala says the government should
implement, monitor and adhere to the
provisions of the
convention.
Zengeza lawmaker Collin Gwiyo says it not enough to ratify
the convention.
He adds government must take appropriate measures to ensure
it benefits
people on the ground.
Before its dissolution midnight
Saturday parliament ratified the convention,
the worlds first legally
binding instrument to cater specifically for
people displaced within their
own countries.
Labor and Social Welfare Minister Paurina Mpariwa
Gwanyanya says the
convention aims to establish a legal framework for
preventing internal
displacement and protecting and assisting internally
displaced persons.
More than 700,000 people were displaced during
operation Murambatsvina in
2005. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Zimbabweans
have also been displaced
around the country dur to projects such as mining
ventures in the rich
alluvial diamond fields in Marange.
About 10
million people have been displaced internally in Africa largely due
to
conflict and violence. There are almost four times as many internally
displaced people as there are refugees on the continent.
Unlike
refugees, internally displaced persons do not have special status
under
international law.
Although Zimbabwe had long signed the convention it
was not legally bound by
its contents because it had not ratified it.
http://www.swradioafrica.com/
By Nomalanga Moyo
SW
Radio Africa
01 July 2013
In a move that is likely to split votes for
the MDC-T, preliminary
indications from the nomination court process show
that the party has
fielded more than one candidate in certain
areas.
Details are still emerging as to the extent but so far, the MDC-T
fielded
two candidates in Chikanga/Dangamvura constituency of Mutare, where
Arnold
Tsunga and Giles Mutsekwa are battling it out for the partys seal of
approval.
In Chitungwiza, the MDC-T submitted to the nomination court
more than one
candidate to run for office in at least nine Wards.
The
run-up to the nomination court has been controversial, with reports of
unprecedented malpractice within the MDC-T camp, while ZANU PF went a notch
higher in the malpractice stakes by imposing most of its
candidates.
Both parties have announced that disgruntled candidates who
lost the
primaries and went to lodge their nomination papers as Independents
have
effectively expelled themselves.
The significant number of MDC-T
members standing as Independents has raised
fears of serious vote splitting,
reminiscent of the 2008 elections when the
party lost seats it could have
easily won.
A Bulawayo-based lawyer told SW Radio Africa Monday that
although it was up
to political parties to decide how many candidates they
put forward, the
MDC-T should consider what this means for its support
base.
He said: It is not the duty of the electoral court to say to
political
parties you cant submit more than one contestant. The nomination
court
only concerns itself with eligibility of the person filing the
application.
But the question that the party needs to be asking is
whether they want to
be splitting votes at a time when the infighting in
ZANU PF should come as a
boon, the lawyer, who asked not be named,
said.
MDC-T deputy national organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe said the
issue of
double submissions by the party had been resolved
Monday.
Where there was that kind of arrangements it means there was a
mix up as
you know that this (election date) proclamation was rushed, and
there was
also the issue of the court application which might have confused
things,
hence two nomination papers from the same party.
Bhebhe said
the party leadership has since met to resolve the issue, and
indicated that
the disgruntled members who had filed as independents had
also been
approached with a view to urge them to withdraw from the race.
He said:
Some of them might have applied as independents out of sheer
anger,
confusion or greed but discussions have been held with some of them
and they
have seen the light and have started withdrawing their
applications, he
said.
Bhebhe said most of the Independents were expected to step down
unless
their motive is to destabilise the party in which case, there will
be no
loss if they left.
He further revealed that the party had
reached a decision on who will
represent it in Chikanga/Dangamvura as well
as the Chitungwiza Wards, but
declined to give details, preferring to say
the party would issue a
statement soon.
However, SW Radio Africa is
reliably informed that the party leadership was
leaning heavily on Tsunga to
make way for the preferred candidate, Mutsekwa.
Bhebhe defended the move
to offer one of the seats reserved for women under
the quota system to Grace
Kwinjeh, whom the party said had won in Makoni
Central before reversing that
decision.
Yes, she may have lost the primaries but in any formation or
party, you dont
just throw away senior leaders of the party, especially
those that were
deployed by the party outside the country, he
added.
The MDC-T said those standing as Independents had seven days to
withdraw
their applications as stipulated by the electoral law. If they fail
to do so
they would have chosen to expel themselves from the party.
http://www.herald.co.zw/
Sunday, 30 June 2013
22:37
Bulawayo Bureau
THE MDC faction led by Professor
Welshman Ncube has said it will welcome
former members who defected together
with Professor Arthur Mutambara, if
they decide to seek re-admission. This
comes after the former Mutambara
loyalists passed a vote of no confidence in
him last week. They said they
had resolved not to recognise the robotics
professor as their president and
announced his ouster.
The grouping
also demanded Prof Mutambara to unconditionally withdraw the
court case he
mounted against Prof Ncube, over the presidency of the
faction. They also
hinted they could align themselves with Prof Ncube; two
years after Prof
Ncube led them out after he lost the contested party
presidency.
MDC
spokesperson Mr Nhlanhla Dube said the party would not seek retribution
against the group.
If they want to come back we will obviously welcome
them with the firm
belief that there has been a realisation that the party
is greater than
individuals. Unity among members is the answer to
polls.
As a party we have processes and procedures. Naturally, the
partys code of
conduct should be followed. Anyway we hold no grief to treat
them ill, no
negativity towards any former member wishing to
rejoin.
Gladly we will accept them as comrades and colleagues. Bygones
will be
bygones from that minute when they decide, he said.
Commenting
on Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn leader, Dr Simba Makonis move to back
MDCT, when in
2008 MDC supported him for the presidency; Mr Dube said his
party had
matured and had its own presidential candidate now.
We were victims of
trust in honesty when it comes to negotiating
settlements and relationships
in 2008. Because of that we found ourselves
with no candidate for president
and settled for Dr Makoni but we have made
sure that doesnt happen
again.
As of today, Prof Ncube is in the running for president. We have
a
candidate and cant say much about Dr Makonis decisions, he said.
He
said despite Dr Makoni joining forces with MDC-T, the move meant nothing
as
MDC had a fair chance of victory just like any other political party. He
said the 2013 election was a fresh election.
I will speak to the
reality of the work that we have done and seek to God
as a party and say
that we will live and die for our party principles.
We will stand up and be
counted and represent ourselves.
Our chances are as good as the next
political party. We are starting from
zero and we are growing. Everyone is
at ground zero. No one has an advantage
since this is a new election, one
cant read much from history. History is
history; we all will start from the
starting line. We will meet each other
in the field, he said.
http://www.newzimbabwe.com/
30/06/2013 00:00:00
by Staff
Reporter
PRESDIENT Robert Mugabe returned home Sunday after
undergoing a routine
medical check-up in Singapore.
Mugabe, who
left the country last Tuesday with his wife, Grace, arrived at
Harare
International Airport Sunday afternoon, accompanied by son, Chatunga,
and
some government officials.
His spokesman, George Charamba said the
veteran leader had gone to see an
eye specialist for a routine check-up
after undergoing a cataract operation
in the country in 2011.
He has
often travelled to Singapore for check-ups and passed through the
Southeast
Asian city state during a trip to Japan three weeks ago.
Defence Minister
Emmerson Mnangagwa denied the 89 year-old leader had any
major health
concerns as he filed his nomination papers last Friday.
Mnangagwa told
reproters: He (Mugabe) is fitter than you. He is a careful
man. He has gone
for a normal medical check-up on his eye."
http://www.thestandard.co.zw/
July 1, 2013 in Business
GOVERNMENT says it is
ready to take over Reserve Bank of Zimbabwes (RBZ)
US$1,1 billion debt and
has asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for
technical assistance to
strengthen the banks accounting and internal
auditing
systems.
REPORT BY NDAMU SANDU
The takeover of the
debtrecommended by the IMF after an annual visit in
2011 would be done
through the RBZ Debt Relief Bill set to go through
Parliament by the end of
September and is the last leg of reforms at the
central bank.
In an
attachment to the letter of intent for an IMFs Staff Monitored
Programme
(SMP) Harare said that restructuring of RBZs balance sheet was
key to
increasing financial sector stability and it had various options in
place.
We expect to bring this project to the implementation phase
in 2013 with
the submission to Parliament of the RBZ Debt Relief Bill by
end-September,
it said.
IMF recently approved an SMP for Zimbabwe
that would run up to December.
An SMP is an informal agreement between
country authorities and Fund staff
to monitor the implementation of the
authorities economic programme.
SMPs do not entail financial assistance
or endorsement by the IMF Executive
Board.
The SMP focusses on
putting public finances on a sustainable course, while
protecting
infrastructure investment and priority social spending,
strengthening public
financial management, increasing diamond revenue
transparency, reducing
financial sector vulnerabilities, and restructuring
the central
bank.
This Bill [RBZ Debt Relief Bill] will provide for the creation of
a Special
Purpose Vehicle which will warehouse the RBZs non-core assets and
liabilities, thus allowing the RBZ to focus on its core business,
government said.
RBZ owes US$80,2 million in central bank lines of
credit, has a non-resident
sovereign debt of US$452,6 million, non-resident
institutional debt (US$110
million) and domestic debt (bank/deposits) of
US$439 million.
The central bank contends that it is also owed US$1,5
billion by government,
when it engaged in quasi-fiscal activities to finance
critical needs such as
funding elections, sustaining parastatals and
financing the farm
mechanisation exercise, among others.
In a 2011
Article IV consultation report, IMF said the debt was constraining
the
central banks ability to undertake liquidity provision and distracts it
from focusing on its core functions.
Proposed modifications to the
RBZ Debt Relief Bill will focus on
transferring the liabilities from RBZs
balance sheet to a fund managed by
the finance ministry, IMF
said.
While this is a less balanced approach than the comprehensive
balance sheet
bifurcation [splitting] recommended by Fund TA [Technical
Assistance]
missions, it remains consistent with the objective of
restructuring the RBZ
balance sheet.
Zimbabwe asked IMF for
technical assistance in financial sector diagnostic
assessment, review of
RBZs accounting and IT systems and manuals, internal
auditing, accounting
and documentation system and corporate governance and
reporting
practices.
It also asked for technical assistance in areas such as
risk-based bank
supervision, regulation of non-bank financial sector and
assessment of
financial sector legislation.
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/
01.07.13
by
Clemence Machadu
Relations between the IMF and Zimbabwe seem to be making
headway, with the
approval by the former of a Staff-Monitored Program (SMP)
for the latter,
last month making it Zimbabwe's first IMF agreement in
more than a decade.
An SMP is an informal agreement between country
authorities and IMF staff to
monitor the implementation of the authorities
economic program. It will
cover the period April-December 2013.
The
SMP came into existence after two years of its recommendation by some
directors of the Fund. In 2011, after making Article IV consultations on
Zimbabwe, IMF directors were divided about whether or not to grant the SMP
to Zimbabwe, as some recommended it while others were against the idea.
Hoewever, two years down the line, the SMP has been finally
launched.
The SMP supports the Zimbabwean authorities comprehensive
adjustment and
reform program and has been endorsed by Zimbabwes Cabinet, a
strong signal
of their commitment. A successful implementation of the SMP
would be an
important stepping stone toward helping Zimbabwe re-engage with
the
international community, said the Fund.
The SMP is said to focus
on putting public finances on a sustainable course,
while protecting
infrastructure investment and priority social spending,
strengthening public
financial management, increasing diamond revenue
transparency, reducing
financial sector vulnerabilities, and restructuring
the central
bank.
In particular, fiscal consolidation efforts aim to move the
primary budget
balance from a deficit in 2012 to a small surplus in 2013,
helping start
what should be a gradual rebuilding of fiscal buffers and
international
reserves, said the Fund.
The IMF however noted that
the decline in commodity export prices, financial
sector stress, and
uncertainties related to the election year, pose some of
the risks to the
program.
Going forward, sustaining high growth will require determined
efforts at
economic reform. In this regard, the SMP already envisages
important reforms
in public financial management, financial sector
regulation, and other
areas, added the Fund
Zimbabwes external debt
is high and largely in arrears, cutting off the
country from access to most
external financing sources. In particular,
Zimbabwe remains unable to
access IMF resources because of its continued
arrears to the Fund. А strong
track record of maintaining macroeconomic
stability and implementing
reforms, together with a comprehensive arrears
clearance strategy supported
by development partners, will be essential for
resolving Zimbabwes large
debt overhang.
IMF staff will remain engaged with the authorities to
monitor progress in
the implementation of their economic program, and will
continue providing
targeted technical assistance in order to support
Zimbabwes
capacity-building efforts and its adjustment and reform program,
said the
Fund
http://www.herald.co.zw/
Monday, 01 July 2013 01:03
Herald
Reporter
CHIKURUBI Maximum Security Prison is facing critical water
shortages and the
authorities are making efforts to alleviate the problem,
Officer Commanding
Mashonaland Region Senior Assistant Commissioner Wonder
Chisora has said.
He said this in an interview on the sidelines of a
graduation ceremony of 18
prisoners who had completed a tobacco farming
course held at Banket
Semi-Open prison.
Asst Commissioner Chisora said
the situation at the giant prison was bad but
Zimbabwe Prison Services
together with other stakeholders were working
frantically to alleviate the
problem.
As you are all aware the greater part of Harare is facing water
shortages,
Chikurubi is no exception.
I know its not easy to overcome
this challenge, I am convinced if other
stakeholders come on board we can
move forward, he said.
He added that Zimbabwe Red Cross with the help of
other stakeholders had
drilled a borehole and intended to pump the borehole
water into a reservoir.
Lafarge Cement donated water tanks to lessen the
water shortage. Asst Comm
Chisora said although there had been no record of
disease outbreak the
prison was facing an acute shortage of protective
clothing.
Church organisations and the business community are chipping
in with
clothing for inmates, he said.
The City of Harare has
experienced persistent water shortages over the last
few years as old pipes
constantly burst leaving residents with no water for
days on end.
29 June 2013-Harare. The Zimbabwe Election Support Network deployed
volunteers nationwide to observe the nomination court proceedings on the
28th of June 2013. The environment during which candidates filed their
papers for nomination was generally calm and ZESN teams observed that there
were no major incidents.
The teams deployed in Matebeleland South,
Masvingo, Harare, Matebeleland
North and Midlands provinces reported that
the courts opened on time at
1000hrs and closed at 1600hrs. However, some
nomination centres were not
able to open at the stipulated time such as
Manhenga RDC in Mashonaland
Central which opened after 10 am. At the same
centre that opened late,
nomination papers from a ZANU PF candidate were
accepted after 1600hrs. In
Glendale, Mashonaland Central, there was a
soldier who filed his documents
while wearing his uniform. ZESN observers
reported that the interpretation
of 1600hrs deadline was construed
differently in centres as aspiring
candidates were allowed to bring in
documents after the cut off time if they
had been at the nomination centre
earlier than 1600hrs. For example, in
Bindura, Mashonaland Central the
nomination court received documents from
candidates until 12 midnight. In
Chinhoyi, Mashonaland West, there were
problems for aspiring councilors
whose papers were rejected as they owed
their local authority, a condition
which ZEC had waivered for councilors.
This was later rectified around
mid-day however, aspiring candidates who had
filed papers in the morning
were prejudiced and their papers rejected on
this basis. Observers in
Mashonaland East reported that most aspiring
candidates had filed their
papers earlier, however the process remained slow
in most centres. The rooms
allocated for the process were small and
generally crowded.
ZESN
observers also noted double candidature in ZANU PF for the Bikita West
constituency seat in Masvingo. ZESN teams also noted double candidature in
the MDC T in Mashonaland West particularly for the council elections. This
resulted in confusion and chaos at the centres where this was prevalent. In
cases where aspiring candidates were not happy with the primary election
results of their parties, they filed their applications as independent
candidates. ZESN urges parties to uphold the values of intra-party democracy
in order to allow the will of the people to prevail.
Most of the ZESN
teams were able to observer the process; however in
Umzingwane, Beitbridge,
ZESN observers were denied access to the nomination
court located in the
rural district chambers in Esigodini as well as Murehwa
Centre Rural
District Council Board Room in Mashonaland East. Given that
this process is
open to citizens, denying access to interested citizens
violates the values
of transparency.
In some cases, ZESN teams noted different treatment
given to political
parties by the some of the officials in the chambers.
Candidates whose
nomination papers were rejected were as a result of failure
to meet the
stipulated requirements except for Mutumwa Mawere who papers
were rejected
for undisclosed reasons. ZESN holds that in the interests of
transparency
and fairness, the court should disclose reasons for rejection
of nomination
papers. In Masvingo, one MDC T aspiring candidate had nine
people supporting
his nomination instead of ten and failed to rectify this
in time. ZESN noted
that some aspiring candidates had problems getting
signatures from
registered voters as voter registration was still in place.
ZESN observers
reported many candidates that filed as independent candidates
due to
problems with intra-party democracy. The timeframe between political
parties
primary elections and nomination did not allow aspiring candidates
adequate
time to put together the required documentation. ZESN recommends
that the
nomination period be extended to allow aspiring candidates to put
their
papers in order without rushing. Furthermore, the nomination process
should
take place after voter registration process. The ZEC became
overwhelmed by
the many processes taking place while preparing for the
election.
ZESN observers also reported that most candidates who filed their
papers
were men and very few women filed papers. It is important for
political
parties to promote the participation of women in political
processes.
Observers reported media bias and preference for known
politicians as these
were covered the most. In the places where ZESN teams
observed, the process
was generally peaceful and without much
incident./ENDS//
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
July 1, 2013 in Opinion
In recent weeks it has
been quite refreshing to hear Zimbabwes business
leaders, individually and
through their various industry groupings
Confederation of Zimbabwe
Industries, Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce
and Business Council of
Zimbabwe to name just a few, come out of their
shells, crying out for an
early, credible and peaceful poll.
Zimbabwe Independent
Editorial
Their previous quiet diplomacy whenever elections have been
held in the
past seems not to have given the desired results.
Now
there seems to be agreement that nothing other than progressive
democracy
ushered in via a sound electoral process, can take this economy
forward.
The business leaders and citizens at large have finally
understood that the
countrys politics should serve to improve the business
climate as a
necessary condition to strengthen the countrys economic
competitiveness,
build investor confidence and boost growth potential and
thus create
sustainable jobs and investment opportunities.
Zimbabwean
business leaders are not alone in this observation.
This week the World
Bank in its Interim Strategy Note (ISN) on Zimbabwe for
the period 2013 to
2015, observes that given the anticipated elections on
the back of the new
constitution, Zimbabwes economic rebound hinges on
fostering private
sector-led growth.
The ISN says despite capacity in both the public and
private sectors having
suffered from a decade of poor investment, the
private sector in particular
could, with a conducive environment, be the key
driver of growth post this
years elections.
However, while there are
several structural impediments to growth and
investment, politics is central
to the revival of the private sector and
whoever earns the right to form the
next government must be decisive and
quick to resolve this
issue.
Principally, the uncertainties caused by the Indigenisation and
Economic
Empowerment Act have invariably deterred foreign investment and
scared off
other capital flows, exacerbating the domestic liquidity crunch,
resulting
in very high credit costs and a dysfunctional financial
intermediation
environment.
The second must-do for the new government
is to restore order and put
finality to agrarian reforms, particularly
issues to do with compensation
settlements for displaced farmers,
rationalisation of land holdings and
granting of permanent title to new
farmers.
Thirdly, resolving issues haunting the mining sector, mainly the
lifting of
the veil of secrecy around the exploitation of key mineral
resources such as
diamonds, iron ore, gold and platinum in order to improve
transparency and
enhance the contribution of the mining sector to the
countrys sustainable
growth.
Greater clarity in the countrys
mineral policies is required to deal with
the current lack of due process in
the allocation of mining rights, the
concealment of beneficial ownership,
opaque financial terms of joint
ventures, and other vices which have led to
leakages and diversion of
revenue away from the fiscus.
The business
community has previously been silent leaving their interests at
the mercy of
politicians.
As commanders of entrepreneurship and capital, we are glad
that they have
finally taken the bold step of joining hands with the lowly
folk to demand
an environment which is conducive for economic recovery and
growth.
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
July 1, 2013 in Opinion
ZIMBABWES
unfolding political drama enters the home stretch today with
political
parties and candidates filing nomination papers for the various
positions of
a devolved system of government.
Candid Comment with Dingilizwe
Ntuli
The Nomination Court is sitting between 10am and 4pm as per the
unconstitutional and illegal proclamation made by President Robert Mugabe
for elections to be held on July 31 after a Constitutional Court (Concourt)
ruling that polls be held by that date.
Sadc has, however, urged
Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa to seek an
extension. The case is still
in the courts, although more chaos has unfolded
when he filed an application
without any input from the MDC formations.
MDC-T leader and Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai filed a
counter-application arguing that the
two-week extension Chinamasa sought was
inadequate for fulfilling all legal
requirements ahead of polls.
The Concourt deferred indefinitely the poll
date hearing meaning the July 31
date still stands until a ruling is
made.
This poll date confusion created by Mugabe and hardliners in his
Zanu PF
party spelt shambles for all political parties and institutions
dealing with
elections, such as the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) and
the
Registrar-General (RG)s Office.
The mandatory 30-day voter
registration has seen the RGs Office limiting
the exercise to just
three-days per ward and the relatively few centres in
urban areas have
resulted in eligible potential voters failing to register.
Political
parties, including Zanu PF, were also forced into rushed and
largely chaotic
primary elections whose outcomes in some cases are just
tantamount to
candidate impositions.
Although the MDC parties may have had some time to
sort out any problems,
aggrieved losing Zanu PF candidates will be left with
no recourse as there
is no time for appeals since nomination papers are
being filed and
respective lists for the proportional parliamentary
representation system
and provincial councils have to be submitted
today.
Although disarray scenes are the political parties business, it
is the
confusion at Zec that is a cause for concern.
It is disturbing
that Zec chairperson Justice Rita Makarau and her deputy
Joyce Kazembe can
issue conflicting statements in the same week regarding
the filing of papers
for municipal candidates.
Makarau told political party representatives on
Tuesday that for councillors
to qualify they should have no criminal record
and be up to date with their
utility bills.
But 24 hours later
Kazembe told traditional leaders that aspiring
councillors were no longer
required to produce a police clearance
certificate and submit evidence of up
to date utility bills.
Although Makarau released a press statement
yesterday clarifying Zecs
latest position, it was rather late and had
certainly already caused
inconveniences to prospective candidates being
short-changed by this chaos..
http://www.iol.co.za/
July 1 2013 at 04:18pm
By Eddie Cross
One
of the small political parties in Zimbabwe (there are 28 right now and
more
coming) said this past week that you cannot remove a dictatorship by
democratic means, only by revolution. When he used the word revolution, I
assume he was actually referring to the use of violence in some form to
unseat an entrenched autocracy.
Those African states that were
governed by a settler class (South Africa,
Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Angola)
all had to fight to gain their rights. In
Syria right now the majority is
trying to remove a minority dictatorship by
the use of arms. The same
happened in Libya.
Only in those countries where an external force (the
colonial state)
exercised its power to determine the nature of the
transition did some sort
of independent democratic state emerge. In some
cases like Egypt the regime
collapsed and change became possible simply by
street action another form
of violence.
Turkeys situation is
another example of this sort.
What makes the situation in Zimbabwe so
distinctive is that the effort to
remove the Mugabe dictatorship has
concentrated almost exclusively on the
use of democratic means.
There
were good reasons for that choice: it is difficult to imagine that any
of
our neighbours would have given the forces of change here secure external
bases and support.
The fact that the cold war no longer sets one
group of states against
another in such regional or country-based conflict
is yet another reason.
Sourcing arms would be another difficulty, although
the trade in weapons is
widespread.
But beyond those arguments, it
was a choice that the leadership of the
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
made at its inception and in which it
was supported by its membership
largely drawn from the working class and
rural peasants.
Our
assumption at the outset was that everyone would recognise what a
revolutionary stance this was and that support would be forthcoming from
local business, intellectuals, regional states and the global
powers.
It was not to be. We found ourselves the subject of regional and
even
continental ostracism, fuelled by the active and determined efforts of
the
South African government.
Aid from the international community
was sporadic and even parsimonious:
technical assistance yes funding
no.
The largest contribution we got in the early days was a $50 000 (R500
000)
grant from the Westminster Foundation in London. That was bitterly
attacked
by the regime and no further assistance was available. We found
ourselves
isolated in the region, the AU and even in the UN.
As for
business, they could see no purpose in funding the MDC what could
we offer
them? They feared retribution from the state (fully justified) and
could not
see us ever unseating what looked like an entrenched, powerful and
ruthless
oligarchy.
Despite these difficulties (a German politician told me once
that politics
was all about money) the MDC made rapid and surprising
progress.
We won the March 2000 referendum, nearly beat a frightened
Zanu-PF in the
June parliamentary elections (they retained their majority by
three seats)
and then went on to beat them soundly in the 2002 presidential
ballot.
Only regional intervention and protection allowed them to fix
the result
and allowed Mugabe back into State House.
Then in 2007 we
were reluctantly accepted as a player who could not be
ignored and we were
brought into play. The international community followed
suit with great
cynicism, the African community with some respect for these
plucky small
boys. We were forced into negotiations and eventually a
government of
national unity, even though it was a totally unequal and
unjust
arrangement.
Through it all, we stuck to our principles and worked
towards a democratic
solution. Strangely, this struggle gained us little
recognition or
attention. One old-time journalist, a veteran of many
conflicts, once said
to me, Come on Eddie, lets see some violence, some
blood on the streets:
give us a story.
You can see the effect of
that just watch your news every night on any
channel. Its not the
peacekeepers who get the exposure and attention. The
US gave $300 million to
the struggle in Syria for humanitarian aid. Thats
great, but when they
have to fight an election, will they get the support
they need to
win?
Now we have had yet another Southern African Development Community
summit
very encouraging, but no sooner had we got back than Zanu-PF were
once again
up to their old tricks. In all probability we will be forced into
another
election on an uneven playing field.
In the middle of the
most serious crisis in the past 14 years, the summit
and the struggle for
democracy in Zimbabwe did not justify a single minute
of news time on any of
the major networks, or even the networks of southern
Africa.
Just
hours of riots in Turkey and smashed buildings and ruined lives in the
Middle East.
If, as I suspect, we end up with an election on July 31,
without media
reform, without security sector realignment, with a
manipulated voters roll
and millions denied the right to vote, we will still
win by a wide margin,
because the people are totally fed up with the status
quo.
Perhaps we will then merit a 60-second news clip on the BBC, but for
the
rest we are just another small country taking a halting step towards the
future.
What they all will miss is that this is a story of courage
and principle, a
story of David and Goliath, a victory for the ordinary men
and women in the
world who just want to make a better life for themselves
and their children.
But above all, it will be a victory for the
democrats.
* Eddie Cross is MDC MP for Bulawayo South. This article first
appeared on
his website www.eddiecross.africanherd.com