ZIM GOVT WEBSITE UNEDITED

BULAWAYO- The Zimbabwe government's website does not tell the world of the existence of a new political dispensation in the mould of a government of national unity.

The homepage of site that was last updated on 18 November 2008 has Executive President Robert Mugabe's potrait sandwiched by those of his two deputies Joseph Musika and Joyce Mujuru.

An updated site would have Mugabe flanked by two Prime Ministers; Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara. Below each of them would be their deputies. The revised site would have restructured cabinet posts.

The site is very slow in opening while pictures that were fortunate to be loaded take ages to load. Below the banner Deputy Minister of Education, Sports and Culture is a picture of a female teacher and her students.

Through the country's site, the world still identifies Aeneas Chigwedere with the ministry of Education, Sport and Culture. Chigwedere is remembered for attracting controversy and criticism as minister for suggesting that all students should wear one uniform; for attempting to rename schools that still bear colonial names, and for pushing an act that empowers him to regulate the fees charged by government and private schools. He claimed some of his suggestions were attempts to dampen the effects of hyperinflation on the education system.

Chigwedere upheld a primary school headmaster's decision to expel a 7-year old Rastafarian boy because he felt that the boy's dreadlocks did not conform to the school dress code. The decision was overturned by the Supreme Court.

GOVERNMENTS WARNED AGAINST LAND GRABS

BULAWAYO - A recent study by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) at the request of UN Food and Agriculture Organization and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) warns that land acquisitions are on the increase in Africa and other continents, raising the risk, if not made properly, that poor people will be evicted or lose access to land, water, and other resources. Writes Simba Nembaware

The study, "Land Grab or Development Opportunity? Agricultural Investments and International Land Deals in Africa", includes new research from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia. It acknowledges that land acquisitions bring many opportunities such as guaranteed outlets, employment, and investment in infrastructures, increases in agricultural productivity but also states that this causes great harm if local people are excluded from decisions about allocating land and if their land rights are not protected.

Food and energy security concerns and "other factors such as business opportunities demand for agricultural commodities for industry and recipient country agency" were noted as drivers for these acquisitions.

Foreign investors have therefore been noted as dominating land-based investment over the past five years with domestic investors also playing a "big role in land acquisitions." The report reveals that private sector deals are more common than government-to-government ones, though governments are using a range of tools to indirectly support private deals.

The report found that many countries do not have sufficient mechanisms to protect local rights and take account of local interests, livelihoods and welfare. It said: "A lack of transparency and of checks and balances in contract negotiations can promote deals that do not maximize the public interest. Insecure local land rights, inaccessible registration procedures, vaguely defined productive use requirements, legislative gaps and other factors too often undermine the position of local people."

It calls for carefully assessing local contexts, including existing land uses and claims; securing land rights for rural communities; involving local people in negotiations, and proceeding with land acquisition only after their free, prior and informed consent.

IF SPORTS WERE POLITICS ZIM WOULD GREAT

BULAWAYO - Zimbabwe would be the jewel of Africa if its politicians were like its exemplary sports persons who put their efforts into attaining gold regardless of circumstances militating against them. Robert Mugabe, Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambira would attain gold by creating room for national healing and the rescuscitation of the economy. Writes Simba Nembaware

When the country attained independence from Britain in 1980 the country's female hockey team, the Golden Girls extended the party celebrations by scooping a gold in Moscow, Russia at the Olympic games.

The golden girls was an all white team and it did not matter as the country was not divided along racial and tribal lines. Then came cricket and soccer. Names that come to the fore when one reminisces about these two sports are Reinhard Fabisch, Bruce Grobbelaar, Henry McKop, Andy Flower, Alistar Campbell, Peter Ndlovu, Vitalis Takawira, Boy Ndlovu, Neil Johnsen and Tatenda Taibu.

Our success count will be incomplete if Kirsty Coventry, Elliot Mujaji and Stephen Muzhingi are not mentioned.

In 2005, Coventry was the top individual scorer at the NCAA Championships and captured three individual titles including the 200 m and 400 m individual medley and the 200 m backstroke for the second consecutive season. She was named the College Swimming Coaches Association Swimmer of the Meet for her efforts. Other awards include 2005 SEC Swimmer of the Year, the 2004-2005 SEC Female Athlete of the Year, and the 2005 Honda Award Winner for Swimming.

At the 2005 World championships in Montreal Kirsty improved on her 2004 Olympic medal count by winning gold in both the 100 m and 200 m backstroke and silver in the 200 m and the 400 m IM. She bettered her Olympic gold-winning 200 m backstroke time with a performance of 2:08.52. Although she was one of just two swimmers from Zimbabwe, her performance allowed Zimbabwe to rank third in the medal count by nation. In addition Kirsty picked up the female swimmer of the meet honors.

In Melbourne at the 2007 World Championships, Coventry won silver medals in the 200 m backstroke and 200 m IM. She was disqualified in the 400 m IM when finishing second to eventual winner Katie Hoff in her heat. Kirsty finished in a disappointing 14th place in the 100 m backstroke in a time of 1:01.73, failing to qualify for the final.

Coventry continued her good form of 2007 by winning four gold medals at the International Swim Meet in Narashino, Japan. She led the way in the 200 m and 400 m IM as well as the 100 m and 200 m backstroke.

In 2008, Coventry broke her first world record in the 200 m backstroke at the Missouri Grand Prix. She bettered the mark set by Krisztina Egerszegi in August 1991, the second oldest swimming world record. Her new record was 2:06:39. Coventry continued her winning streak at the meet by winning the 100 m backstroke and the 200 m IM. Kirsty Coventry is the third woman in history to break the 1:00 minute barrier in the 100 m backstroke, and is the fastest swimmer of all-time at 58.77 in this event.

At the 2008 Manchester Short Course World Championships, Kirsty Coventry broke her second world record, setting a time, whilst winning the gold medal, of 4:26:52 in the 400 m IM. The following day saw Coventry win her second gold medal of the championships in the 100 m backstroke. Her time of 57:10 was a new championship record and the second fastest time in history in the event.

Only Natalie Coughlin has swum faster (56:51). Day three of the championships saw Coventry break another championship record in qualifying fastest for the final of the 200 m backstroke. Her time of 2:03:69 was a mere four tenths of a second outside the current world record set by Reiko Nakamura in Tokyo in 2008.

Coventry then bettered this time to take her second world record of the championships by winning the final in a time of 2:00:91. She then went on to shatter the short course World Record in winning the 200 m Individual Medley in 2:06:13. Due to her performances at the World Championships, Kirsty Coventry was named as the FINA Female Swimmer of the Championships.

At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing Zimbabwe's hopes were on Conventry again. She won the silver medal in the 400 m individual medley on 10 August 2008, becoming the second woman to swim the medley in less than 4:30, the first being Stephanie Rice who won the gold in the same event. Coventry beat the world record by just under two seconds, and was only just beaten by Rice to a new WR.

Coventry, in the second semi-final of the 100 m Backstroke, set a new World Record of 58.77 seconds. However, in the final of that event she was beaten to the gold medal by Natalie Coughlin. Coventry was again beaten by Stephanie Rice in the 200 m individual medley, despite swimming under the old world record. Coventry did defend her Olympic title in the 200 m backstroke, winning gold in a world record time of 2:05.24.

For her inspirational role the world over she was appointed an Ambassador to Hope for Children, a United Kingdom registered charity on August 1, 2008.

Mujaji's tale is that of resilience as he defied odds by recovering from a comma and go represent the country in the summer of 2000 at the Sydney Paralympics. He was the fastest runner in the heats of the 200 metres sprint, but was disqualified for having encroached on another lane. He won gold in the 100 metres sprint - Zimbabwe's first ever Paralympic gold medal.

Mujaji competed again at the 2004 Summer Paralympics and once again won gold in the 100 metres sprint. He also represented the country at the 2008 Beijing paralympics in the 100m and 200m sprints.

Muzhingi won sunday's 89km Comrades Marathon in South Africa thereby breaking Russian domination of the men’s race. He won in 5:23:26, the second fastest time in history today. He missed the world recorded by just over a minute

BBC WELCOMED BACK TO ZIMBABWE

A senior Zimbabwean government official has said major international broadcasters like the BBC and CNN are welcome to send their back into the country.

The broadcasters have long been unable to cover Zimbabwe. But George Charamba, President Mugabe's spokesperson and Ministry of Information Permanent Secretary, has said: “We would want to remind CNN that they are not banned from this country. Nothing was given either orally or in writing, stating that they had been banned. It is just that they took a solidarity boycott with the BBC after we had said the latter was representing political interests.

"We have taken the decision that they must be engaged: Overtures have been made to both media organisations, and the BBC have said they'll be coming over while CNN's coverage would be from South Africa,” Charamba announced.

The BBC was banned from Zimbabwe in July 2001, five months after the organisation's Harare correspondent Joseph Winter was expelled.
CNN and other television channels, including South Africa’s e-tv, were also ordered out.

"A new media law is set to be passed before the end of the year, lifting restrictions on the operations of newspapers and journalists,” Charamba said.

Under the law, a new commission – the Zimbabwe Media Commission – will be formed to licence and re-admit newspapers that were banned by the government.

Recently, journalists and the government met in the resort town of Kariba to thrash outstanding issues before consummating reforms as spelt out in the country’s Global Political Agreement (GPA) of September 15 2008.

The GPA culminated in the formation of an inclusive government which saw Mugabe joining hands with longtime rival Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and Arthur Mutambara of the smaller MDC faction.

Charamba also announced a new initiative being spearheaded by the Ministry of Information, Media and Publicity to position information attaches in South Africa, Malaysia, China, Britain and the United States.

"The country needs to shed the negative image of the past," Charamba said. "The negative (image of the country) has been because of the political situation and this has been dealt with through the inclusive government. If we sort out our image mess back home, that will reflect outwardly."

Meanwhile, Charamba claimed criminals were "finding convenient refuge in journalism" after he was questioned by Members of Parliament on the arrest of freelance photographer Shadreck Manyere and former TV news anchor Jestina Mukoko on banditry and terrorism charges.

"I asked for the name of the media house that employs Manyere: I got no answer! I asked for the name of the institution where he trained: Again, I got no answer!" he said.

"There is a general misconception that whosoever wields a notebook, pen and camera is a journalist. This makes it seem as though there are no entry requirements (for the profession) when they exist,” Charamba said.

He said Mukoko left journalism for civic society endeavours, yet she was still being identified as a journalist.

- journalism.co.za

MUGABE MUST GO - CLINTON

Washington - The departure of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe would be in "the best interests of everyone", US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in an interview distributed here on Wednesday.

Clinton also told South African state television that the United States would not resume aid to the Zimbabwean government as long as it could not be sure it would reach the people concerned.

"I think that would be in the best interests of everyone," Clinton told her interviewer who asked "would you like to see President Mugabe go first before you can come in"?

Mugabe recently admitted that as long as he remains in power no aid will be channeled into the country by Britain and the US. The western community has pledged to cough billions into the shattered economy if Mugabe exhibits change but that he is allergic to change is as obvious as one's nose as evidenced by fresh farm invasions.

Despite the broad smile, his fist remains clenched a sign that he still wields excess power which critics say is a deterent to donors and investors.

AFP and Simba Nembaware

SEX BAN SOLUTION TO ZIM PROBLEMS

The endless chaotic administration of the Zimbabwean government can quickly be brought to a halt if Grace Mugabe, Joyce Mujuru, Thokozani Khuphe, Priscila Misihairabwi Mushonga, Olivia Muchena and Sithembiso Nyoni lead other female politicians into effectively embarking on an indefinate Kenya style of a sex ban. Writes Simba Nembaware

Governance issues can be corrected through the proper use of the bedroom as demonstrated by the Kenyan sex ban. A sexually starved politician begins to see things in the eyes of the ordinary man and that is what Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF party, Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC party and Arthur Mutambara and his MDC party need to be subjucted to right now if Zimbabwe is to move from the doldrums of unredeemable collapse.

Zimbabweans need progress that they were promised during 1980's Independence celebrations and during the recent signing of the government of national unity by long time rivals. But the politicians seem content with the status quo despite calls by the international community for rescuscitation of the economy.

Maybe if Gideon Gono and Tendai Biti are denied sex for a month by their partners they might put aside their differences and get funds following into the country.

If Agriculture Minister Joseph Made and his acquaintances in the fold of war veterans leaders Joseph Chinotimba and Jabulani Sibanda are denied sex indefinately we will see nomalcy returning to the farms. There will be no more farm invasions. His excellency, Robert Mugabe would redress the land issue properly by also considering issues of compansation of white farmers and desisting from racist rhetoric.

George Charamba's tongue would be circumcised and all the hate speech that threaten the very existence of the government of compromise.

David Coltart would not have to rely on donors to run around for him so that his ministry can pay teachers. The laziness would be gone.

Welshman Ncube would not let Zimra officials solicite bribes from flee market owners and vegetable vendors. We would be having clean water if Water Resources Minister Samuel Sipepa-Nkomo endured the winter chill without the fantasy and warmth of sex.

Universities would open and charge realistic fees if Stan Mudenge of Higher and Tertiary Education is deprived his basic need; just as he is denying countless thousands of their basic university schooling need.

Giles Mutsekwa of Home Affairs would be wanting a report from Police Commissioner Chihuri on the arrests of the leaders of farm invasions and the perpetrators of violonce and killings in the farms.

The ban would also see the quartet Minister of Defence: Emmerson Mnangagwa, Home Affairs: Kembo Mohadi, State for National Security: Sydney Sekeramayi Justice and Legal Affairs: Patrick Chinamasa making Zimbabwe one of the most lawful countries in the world.

There would be no more indiscriminate arrests of activists, there would be rule of law, there would be respect for basic human rights such as freedom of association and freedom of expression. These changes would accord Nelson Chamisa and Webster Shamu time and space to reason about the jurisdictions of their ministries and they entail.

There would be no more trumped charges on journalists, we would have a free press punctuated by the blotting from our minds the names Tafataona Mahoso and Media and Information Commission.

Laws such as Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) would be revised resulting in Radio Dialogue being awarded a licence. SWRadio Africa, Radio Voice of the People (VOP) and Studio 7 would not have to broadcast from outside Zimbabwe. There would be other TV stations.

The DailyNews, The Tribune and The Mirror would hit the stands again but all these dreams shall remain shadows of reality if politicians continue to wallow in incompetence and have a good night sleep between the sheets after a long day of neglecting calls for the betterment of the lives of millions of Zimbabweans.