News from Zimbabwe

Founding Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) commander Ackim Ndlovu was declared a national hero last week, despite living the life of a pauper after being neglected by government. Our correspondent Lionel Saungweme told us he met the 77 year old Ndlovu in Mpopoma in 2003 and he was battling high medical bills after losing his leg to cancer. His colleagues in ZAPU, which recently broke away from ZANU PF, have slammed the hypocrisy of Mugabe’s party in acknowledging Ndlovu’s contribution, but only when he had died.

 

The All-Stakeholders Conference, aimed at drafting a new national constitution, resumed in the capital Tuesday, amid unprecedented security at the Harare International Conference Centre.

ZHOMBE Cult members of the Davidic Kingdom Garden of Eden sect have been arrested and charged with public indecency. According to police the two will appear in court “soon” .The two women are members of a cult group which does its day to day activities naked including their religious gathering saying they are restoring what was in the Garden of Eden.

 

Independent Newspaper News Editor pleads not guilty over pictures of woman in child birth. Independent Newspaper News Editor Chansa Kabwela who works for the Post Newspaper in Zambia pleaded not guilty on 14 July 2009 to the charge of being in possession of and  circulating obscene materials.

 

HARARE - The Zimbabwean government’s international investment conference at the end of last week did little to assuage fears that the country remains far away from re-establishing the rule of law and stopping land invasions. (Pictured: Trudy Stevenson).

THE Constitutional All-Stakeholders Conference on the new constitution has resumed and ended peacefully today amid security being beefed up, with delegates required to present their accreditation.

 

Parliament of Zimbabwe
HARARE - Attention: Hon. Mwonzora; Hon Mangwana; Hon Coltart
Dear Sirs,
RE: FIRST ALL STAKEHOLDERS’ CONSTITUTIONAL CONFERENCE
The above matter refers.
We write to register our several concerns relating to the First All Stakeholders’ Constitutional Conference (1st ASHCC) which is due to take place from 13-14 July 2009 in Harare.

Fearing another Operation Murambatsvina
HARARE,  - A planned urban clean-up campaign in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, motivated by health and safety concerns has evoked fears among some residents of a re-run of President Robert Mugabe's iron-fisted Operation Murambatsvina in 2005.

HWANGE - A five-year-old boy from Jambezi area has died from the side effects of a vaccination. Nkosi Moyo died at Victoria Falls Hospital while awaiting treatment for the side effects. ‘I blame the Health Ministry’

The MDC dismisses the laughable lies by Zanu PF’s propaganda mouthpiece, the ZBC, that the MDC, students, labour and other civic activists disrupted today’s All Stakeholders Constitutional Conference in Harare.

SW Radio Africa  HOT SEAT transcript: (PART 1) Journalist Violet Gonda interviews Dr Arikano Chihombori and John Worsley Worswick - a farm beneficiary and a dispossessed farmer.  (Pictured: Dr Arikano Chihombori)

The councillor for ward 6 in Bindura Rural and MDC’s Mashonaland Central province organising secretary, Gilson Chitakunye, today sustained serious head injuries after he was brutally assaulted by Zanu PF thugs who violently disrupted the All Stakeholders Constitutional Conference in Harare.

The Portfolio Committee on Communications invites the public to make nominations for the appointment of 12 non-executive members to the Board of the South African Broadcasting Corporation Limited (SABC), in terms of the Broadcasting Act (No 4 of 1999).

The MDC salutes its members and civic groups for exercising calm in the face of extreme provocation by Zanu PF thugs who today violently disrupted the All Stakeholders Constitutional Conference in Harare.

 

Zanu PF thugs today disrupted the Constitutional All-Stakeholders’ Conference at the Harare International Conference Centre after they hurled abuse at the Speaker of Parliament and brought the proceedings to virtual chaos. (Pictured: Delegates leaving the conference today. photo by Trudy Stevenson)

MASVINGO - Zanu (PF) youth militia have set bases at different schools and are reportedly seething with anger demanding a clear explanation from teachers who absconded lessons on Friday. Some teachers boycotted lesson on Friday, following a call by the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ)'s to boycott lessons every Friday to demonstrate against poor allowances.

Zimbabwe is not only stockpiling modern weapons, but is circumventing sanctions by exporting arms to the US via Eastern Europe, according to a report to be released this week.(Pictured: The controversial 2008 Chinese arms shipment demonstrations)

Zimbabweans have learnt to accept the unacceptable

IT was such a long time ago that Goethe wrote: “None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.”

WASHINGTON – Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai received U.S. President Barack Obama's seal of approval and a promise of 73 million dollars in education, health, and governance-related assistance after a mid-afternoon meeting at the White House here on July 10.

First All-Stakeholders Conference on new Constitution
This document submitted by Veritas.
Monday and Tuesday, July 13 to 14, 2009
Venue: Harare International Conference Centre
Starting Time: 8 am Monday [Registration from 8 am Sunday]
Chairpersons: Prof Phineas Makhurane and Dr Hope Sadza