When researchers returned to Zimbabwe several months after the end of a trial involving condom and diaphragm use, they were disappointed to find that condom use - which had risen to 86 percent during the trial - had reduced significantly.
"What happens after trials has always remained very much a mystery, and today, with biomedical prevention that has proved to be partly efficacious, such as the microbicide gel from the CAPRISA trial [which found that a vaginal gel containing tenofovir, an antiretroviral (ARV) drug, was 39 percent effective at reducing women's risk of contracting HIV during sex], it would be interesting to see what happens after the trial," Ariane van der Straten, lead author of a recent study on the issue, told IRIN/PlusNews.
"We were disappointed to see that all the effort and intense counselling provided to participants didn't seem to have a long-lasting effect - in effect, condom use went back to enrolment levels."
The Methods for Improving Reproductive Health in Africa (MIRA) trial, conducted between 2003 and 2006 in South Africa and Zimbabwe, evaluated the effectiveness of the diaphragm in the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It involved more than 5,000 women randomized into two arms - one group received a diaphragm, lubricant and male condoms, while the other received only male condoms; participants received intensive HIV counselling as well as STI treatment.
The trial found that the diaphragm and lubricant did not provide extra protection compared to condoms and treatment of STIs.
The follow-up study involved 801 women who were assessed 2-20 months after the end of the MIRA trial. During the MIRA trial, condom use rose to about 86 percent, but dropped to about 67 percent during post-trial visits.
"The trial is an [HIV prevention] intervention in and of itself - it could be that after the trial women did not feel the need to continue using the methods without the support they received from the study," said van der Straten. "The results showed us that it is a challenge to use concurrent HIV prevention methods, particularly barrier methods... If tenofovir gel becomes available, women may ask - if we have the microbicide, why use a condom?"
She noted that male condoms were generally not favoured by people in long-term relationships; most of the women in the post-MIRA trial were in stable sexual partnerships.
Despite the trial finding no evidence that the diaphragm provided protection against HIV, many women in the diaphragm arm of the MIRA trial continued to use the device. Prior to the trial, only one woman reported ever using one; at the end of the trial, nearly all the women in this arm elected to keep or be fitted for a new diaphragm. During the MIRA trial, diaphragm use was as high as 88 percent, dropping to 50 percent in the post-trial study.
About half of the women in the condom arm also chose to be fitted with diaphragms at the end of the MIRA trial; in the post-MIRA study, about 14 percent of these reported using a diaphragm during their last sexual encounter.
"This speaks to the huge unmet need for female-initiated methods... Hopefully tenofovir gel can fill that gap," van der Straten said.
Unltimately, she noted, the post-MIRA study highlighted the need for increased support for women in their use of prevention methods.
"Any new prevention method will require support and education to be sustainable, such as follow-up counselling to help make sure that the method is used and continues to be used," she said. "Just providing access is not sufficient."
"In the past we have been naive, thinking that female-controlled methods could be used independent of men's involvement, but it's difficult to use any of these methods secretly, so there is a need to involve male partners in female-controlled methods so that they support their partners."
- PlusNews
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Botswana welcomes livestock insurance
According to 2008 World Bank statistics, 82% of the rural Sub-Saharan Africa population lives in agriculture-based countries where agriculture is a major source of growth, accounting for 32% of GDP growth on average, writes Simbarashe Nembaware.
However, in many countries the sector, which is the backbone of many livelihoods, is without an insurance scheme and analysts say this stalls the sustainable growth of the sector as commercial banks and other financial institutions do not want to risk their funds by bankrolling enterprises in a sector that is very risk.
But the agricultural insurance is quickly gaining ground as a way of fighting the cycle of poverty, made worse by natural disasters such as floods and drought which destroy food and kill animals. It is now being appreciated as a popular solution to mitigating against the cycle of poverty created by harvest loss.
With the existence of an insurance scheme, banks are now certain that the money they lend to farmers can be recouped and this translates to many farmers applying for loans so that they can upgrade their farming enterprises: they can now apply for loans to buy combined harvesters, tractors and other tractor drawn implements; they can now apply for loans to buy livestock. Indirectly the insurance contributes to food security and increasing the contribution of agriculture to GDP.
The Botswana Insurance Company (BIC) recently launched its agriculture insurance that covers both livestock and crops. The insurance took a long time coming for a country that has a thriving beef industry. But the timing is also appropriate because it comes at a time when the country strides towards food security, self sustenance and the eradication of poverty through the National Vision 2016.
Launching the policy in Gaborone, recently, Mr. David Garden an Insurance Broker with Tribe from South Africa; a company that has extensive experience and knowledge in livestock insurance, said the policy was tailor made to suit the needs of farmers.
Although the policy was developed in South Africa, Mr Garden says the “policies are online with Botswana conditions and in liaison with Botswana Insurance Company (BIC) we will keep on checking if the products and policies work” and change where there is a need for changing.
Mr Dziki Nganunu, the Managing Director of Botswana Insurance Company who when offering the closing remarks at the launch of the insurance said the “insurance meets the needs of farmers and those of the sector. Cover is also available for crops and this will be available on a case by case basis.”
In terms of this livestock insurance’s security, farmers are secure as reinsurance support for the direct insurer is being provided by Munich Re, the largest reinsurer in Africa. The insurance’s local technical support is brought by BIC “with and exclusive arrangement with Alexander Forbes Risk Services.
Though termed Livestock Insurance, this is a multi peril insurance scheme that caters for livestock and crops too. It also cuts across the livestock divide as it accommodates beef cattle, dairy cattle, pigs, horses, chickens, game and fish farming. There is also mention of fire insurance for commercial forestry.
The insurance is flexible in that it has options for Herd Select Insurance which gives the farmer the option to select the animals that they wish to insure “if he does not want to insure his entire herd.” The advantage of this is that effecting this Insurance will “also assist the farmer to obtain finance to purchase animals.”
In addition to Herd Select Policy there is the Stud Animal Policy whose features include: infertility and impotence cover; gap cover following a government slaughter order. There is also Herd Insurance Essential Cover which “is designed to protect the least valuable animals or the entire herd where the farmer is not concerned about disease or sickness cover.
The policy addresses death from fire, lightning, accident and theft. In addition to covering animals from all risks mortality and theft, transit is also included. Death by snake bites is also covered by the insurance.
However the insurance does not “cover death directly or indirectly caused by or happening through or in consequence of: Ionising radiations or contamination by radioactivity from nuclear fuel or from nuclear waste from the combustion of nuclear fuel; the radioactivity toxic explosive or other hazardous properties of any explosive nuclear assembly or nuclear component thereof.”
Also not covered is the death “directly or indirectly caused by happening through or in consequence of: confiscation or nationalism or requisition by or under the order of any government or public or local authority or any person or body having jurisdiction in the matter.”
Death as consequence of “war, invasion acts of foreign enemies hostilities (whether war be declared or not) civil war rebellion insurrection military or usurped power riots terrorism and civil commotions” is also not covered.
Speaking on the sidelines of the launch, David Merementsi, a cattle farmer from Matabula Ranch in Western Sandveldt said the insurance is a welcome development to the local agricultural scene as it is going to draw banks into lending farmers money “as they will know that their money is secured.”
Merementsi whose herd is made of the climatically adaptive Brahmans, Charolais, Simmentaller and Tswana cattle says the insurance is a “step in the right direction as we are not getting enough finance from the banks. This is going to strengthen our resolve using agriculture as a vehicle of diversifying the economy from being a diamond driven economy.”
“I recently lost a bull that i had bought for R16 000 from South Africa. It was just two weeks old on my ranch and it had not even done anything to help return my investment when it died due to a snake bite, and this is the second time that I have lost a bull this way,” said Merementsi who is glad that the new insurance also covers deaths by snake bite as this is a common calamity in the country.
Arable land farmers should also insure as this insurance caters for them. Johan van den Berg the Product Development Manager for South Africa’s Santam Agriculture says climate variability is a farmer’s most immediate threat as it has huge impact on planting decisions and risking management.
In an article published in South Africa’s Farmers Weekly, Berg discussed why farmers should insure citing the effects of climate change. He added that “weather forecasts are only about 70% accurate; farmers must have plans to ensure they can make money if the 30% probability happens. Climate variability is a big risk and, with current low commodity prices, the margin of error is very small. Insurance can help decrease the negative effects of climate variability.”
He advices that “if farmers decide that conditions are right to plant, they must also decide which grain crop and cultivars will give the greatest yield at the lowest risk. Farmers often wait to see if the season is late and dry and then plant a suitable crop. Farmers traditionally plant more medium-term growing cultivars, but if the season is very late, they choose to plant shorter growth-cycle crops.”
He further notes that good farm management and production practices are important for risk management adding that farmers sometimes let parts of their land to fallow, or store up water from the last season to reduce planting risk.
“Precision farming, which deals with in-field variability, is also becoming a crucial risk management tool, where farmers adopt new technologies, such as global positioning, sensors, satellite or aerial images and information-management tools to assess and understand variations for optimal use of soil potential,” says Beg.
At the Southern African Regional Development 3rd Briefing on Financing agriculture in Southern Agriculture held last month in Malawi by African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, David Rohrbach from the World Bank, who presented a paper on Risk Management and Agricultural Insurance, said “weather, price and related market risks are pervasive in agriculture.”
He said these risks reduce farm investment and productivity growth with insurance however allowing “at least a portion of these risks to be transferred to another party.”
“However, the success of agricultural insurance programmes, particularly those targeting small-scale farmers, has been undermined by high transaction costs, and problems of adverse selection and moral hazard. Index based insurance offers substantial potential for reducing these costs,” said Rohrbach before citing Malawi which has been using rainfall index insurance to support the expansion of credit supply to groundnut, tobacco and maize producers.
He explained that the insurance offsets the risks of credit default in the event of drought adding that this encourages both the expansion of agricultural credit in drought prone areas, and a reduction in interest rates.
However, in many countries the sector, which is the backbone of many livelihoods, is without an insurance scheme and analysts say this stalls the sustainable growth of the sector as commercial banks and other financial institutions do not want to risk their funds by bankrolling enterprises in a sector that is very risk.
But the agricultural insurance is quickly gaining ground as a way of fighting the cycle of poverty, made worse by natural disasters such as floods and drought which destroy food and kill animals. It is now being appreciated as a popular solution to mitigating against the cycle of poverty created by harvest loss.
With the existence of an insurance scheme, banks are now certain that the money they lend to farmers can be recouped and this translates to many farmers applying for loans so that they can upgrade their farming enterprises: they can now apply for loans to buy combined harvesters, tractors and other tractor drawn implements; they can now apply for loans to buy livestock. Indirectly the insurance contributes to food security and increasing the contribution of agriculture to GDP.
The Botswana Insurance Company (BIC) recently launched its agriculture insurance that covers both livestock and crops. The insurance took a long time coming for a country that has a thriving beef industry. But the timing is also appropriate because it comes at a time when the country strides towards food security, self sustenance and the eradication of poverty through the National Vision 2016.
Launching the policy in Gaborone, recently, Mr. David Garden an Insurance Broker with Tribe from South Africa; a company that has extensive experience and knowledge in livestock insurance, said the policy was tailor made to suit the needs of farmers.
Although the policy was developed in South Africa, Mr Garden says the “policies are online with Botswana conditions and in liaison with Botswana Insurance Company (BIC) we will keep on checking if the products and policies work” and change where there is a need for changing.
Mr Dziki Nganunu, the Managing Director of Botswana Insurance Company who when offering the closing remarks at the launch of the insurance said the “insurance meets the needs of farmers and those of the sector. Cover is also available for crops and this will be available on a case by case basis.”
In terms of this livestock insurance’s security, farmers are secure as reinsurance support for the direct insurer is being provided by Munich Re, the largest reinsurer in Africa. The insurance’s local technical support is brought by BIC “with and exclusive arrangement with Alexander Forbes Risk Services.
Though termed Livestock Insurance, this is a multi peril insurance scheme that caters for livestock and crops too. It also cuts across the livestock divide as it accommodates beef cattle, dairy cattle, pigs, horses, chickens, game and fish farming. There is also mention of fire insurance for commercial forestry.
The insurance is flexible in that it has options for Herd Select Insurance which gives the farmer the option to select the animals that they wish to insure “if he does not want to insure his entire herd.” The advantage of this is that effecting this Insurance will “also assist the farmer to obtain finance to purchase animals.”
In addition to Herd Select Policy there is the Stud Animal Policy whose features include: infertility and impotence cover; gap cover following a government slaughter order. There is also Herd Insurance Essential Cover which “is designed to protect the least valuable animals or the entire herd where the farmer is not concerned about disease or sickness cover.
The policy addresses death from fire, lightning, accident and theft. In addition to covering animals from all risks mortality and theft, transit is also included. Death by snake bites is also covered by the insurance.
However the insurance does not “cover death directly or indirectly caused by or happening through or in consequence of: Ionising radiations or contamination by radioactivity from nuclear fuel or from nuclear waste from the combustion of nuclear fuel; the radioactivity toxic explosive or other hazardous properties of any explosive nuclear assembly or nuclear component thereof.”
Also not covered is the death “directly or indirectly caused by happening through or in consequence of: confiscation or nationalism or requisition by or under the order of any government or public or local authority or any person or body having jurisdiction in the matter.”
Death as consequence of “war, invasion acts of foreign enemies hostilities (whether war be declared or not) civil war rebellion insurrection military or usurped power riots terrorism and civil commotions” is also not covered.
Speaking on the sidelines of the launch, David Merementsi, a cattle farmer from Matabula Ranch in Western Sandveldt said the insurance is a welcome development to the local agricultural scene as it is going to draw banks into lending farmers money “as they will know that their money is secured.”
Merementsi whose herd is made of the climatically adaptive Brahmans, Charolais, Simmentaller and Tswana cattle says the insurance is a “step in the right direction as we are not getting enough finance from the banks. This is going to strengthen our resolve using agriculture as a vehicle of diversifying the economy from being a diamond driven economy.”
“I recently lost a bull that i had bought for R16 000 from South Africa. It was just two weeks old on my ranch and it had not even done anything to help return my investment when it died due to a snake bite, and this is the second time that I have lost a bull this way,” said Merementsi who is glad that the new insurance also covers deaths by snake bite as this is a common calamity in the country.
Arable land farmers should also insure as this insurance caters for them. Johan van den Berg the Product Development Manager for South Africa’s Santam Agriculture says climate variability is a farmer’s most immediate threat as it has huge impact on planting decisions and risking management.
In an article published in South Africa’s Farmers Weekly, Berg discussed why farmers should insure citing the effects of climate change. He added that “weather forecasts are only about 70% accurate; farmers must have plans to ensure they can make money if the 30% probability happens. Climate variability is a big risk and, with current low commodity prices, the margin of error is very small. Insurance can help decrease the negative effects of climate variability.”
He advices that “if farmers decide that conditions are right to plant, they must also decide which grain crop and cultivars will give the greatest yield at the lowest risk. Farmers often wait to see if the season is late and dry and then plant a suitable crop. Farmers traditionally plant more medium-term growing cultivars, but if the season is very late, they choose to plant shorter growth-cycle crops.”
He further notes that good farm management and production practices are important for risk management adding that farmers sometimes let parts of their land to fallow, or store up water from the last season to reduce planting risk.
“Precision farming, which deals with in-field variability, is also becoming a crucial risk management tool, where farmers adopt new technologies, such as global positioning, sensors, satellite or aerial images and information-management tools to assess and understand variations for optimal use of soil potential,” says Beg.
At the Southern African Regional Development 3rd Briefing on Financing agriculture in Southern Agriculture held last month in Malawi by African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, David Rohrbach from the World Bank, who presented a paper on Risk Management and Agricultural Insurance, said “weather, price and related market risks are pervasive in agriculture.”
He said these risks reduce farm investment and productivity growth with insurance however allowing “at least a portion of these risks to be transferred to another party.”
“However, the success of agricultural insurance programmes, particularly those targeting small-scale farmers, has been undermined by high transaction costs, and problems of adverse selection and moral hazard. Index based insurance offers substantial potential for reducing these costs,” said Rohrbach before citing Malawi which has been using rainfall index insurance to support the expansion of credit supply to groundnut, tobacco and maize producers.
He explained that the insurance offsets the risks of credit default in the event of drought adding that this encourages both the expansion of agricultural credit in drought prone areas, and a reduction in interest rates.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Key challenges affecting agriculture in Southern Africa
Although most governments in the Southern Africa Development Committee (SADC) just as others in the rest of Africa have since 2003 embraced the vision of revamping the agricultural sector through increased budgetary allocations and designing of enabling policies, there still exists challenges that dog the growth of the sector, writes Simba Nembaware.
In his speech at the World Food Prize annual international symposium just ahead of World Food Day held last month, former UN Secretary-General and Chair of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Mr. Kofi A. Annan said “Africa is the only continent which does not grow enough food to feed itself.”
Annan noted that Africa was bypassed by the science-based agricultural development adding that in the last decades governments had slashed needed investments for agricultural research and development, for rural infrastructure and for support to smallholder farmers.
In a paper presented at the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP)’s Southern African Regional Development 3rd Briefing on Financing agriculture in Southern Agriculture held last month in Malawi, Dyborn Chibonga of the National Smallholder Farmers’ Association of Malawi (NASFAM) said the smallholder farmer in Africa, though highly characterized by unpleasant traits like poor resources, high illiteracy and poverty rates, “still forms a major force to reckon with within the agriculture sector.”
Chibonga highlighted that challenges bedevilling Southern Africa’s agriculture can be classified into four groups: Financing Challenges; Marketing Challenges; Environmental Challenges; and market Liberalisation.
Financial challenges include the inadequate and the lack of access to credit; high prices for agricultural inputs and farm implements; unorganised farmers; low entrepreneurship; weak institutional linkages and weak extension services.
Challenges that pertain to market include: high energy prices; limited economies of scale; lack/inadequate market information; poor/inadequate infrastructure such as roads, storage facilities, production facilities, education and health facilities; poor telecommunication networks.
Declining soil fertility and the effects of climate change such as droughts and floods among others are part of the environmental challenges that farmers in Southern Africa have to contend with.
Market liberalisation entails the removal of agricultural subsidies and in Southern Africa this is coupled with unstructured or disintegrated marketing structures.
Citing Malawi’s smallholder farmers who contribute over 20% of the country’s agriculture GDP, Chibonga said solutions to address the numerous challenges lies “in the nature and context of investments towards the sector.”
“We acknowledge the commitment by African Governments in the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) but recommend an increase in the quantity, improve the quality and transparency of public investment in agriculture in agriculture.”
Governments are further urged to ensure that small producers have access to, control over and sustainable use of natural resources such as land and water, while on the other hand governments should promote ecologically sustainable agriculture.
Increasing investment in production and farm-level processing by small producers coupled with investing in post-harvest processing, marketing and value development are other recommended steps to be taken in the quest to curb the challenges dogging Southern Africa’s agriculture.
In his speech at the World Food Prize annual international symposium just ahead of World Food Day held last month, former UN Secretary-General and Chair of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Mr. Kofi A. Annan said “Africa is the only continent which does not grow enough food to feed itself.”
Annan noted that Africa was bypassed by the science-based agricultural development adding that in the last decades governments had slashed needed investments for agricultural research and development, for rural infrastructure and for support to smallholder farmers.
In a paper presented at the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP)’s Southern African Regional Development 3rd Briefing on Financing agriculture in Southern Agriculture held last month in Malawi, Dyborn Chibonga of the National Smallholder Farmers’ Association of Malawi (NASFAM) said the smallholder farmer in Africa, though highly characterized by unpleasant traits like poor resources, high illiteracy and poverty rates, “still forms a major force to reckon with within the agriculture sector.”
Chibonga highlighted that challenges bedevilling Southern Africa’s agriculture can be classified into four groups: Financing Challenges; Marketing Challenges; Environmental Challenges; and market Liberalisation.
Financial challenges include the inadequate and the lack of access to credit; high prices for agricultural inputs and farm implements; unorganised farmers; low entrepreneurship; weak institutional linkages and weak extension services.
Challenges that pertain to market include: high energy prices; limited economies of scale; lack/inadequate market information; poor/inadequate infrastructure such as roads, storage facilities, production facilities, education and health facilities; poor telecommunication networks.
Declining soil fertility and the effects of climate change such as droughts and floods among others are part of the environmental challenges that farmers in Southern Africa have to contend with.
Market liberalisation entails the removal of agricultural subsidies and in Southern Africa this is coupled with unstructured or disintegrated marketing structures.
Citing Malawi’s smallholder farmers who contribute over 20% of the country’s agriculture GDP, Chibonga said solutions to address the numerous challenges lies “in the nature and context of investments towards the sector.”
“We acknowledge the commitment by African Governments in the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) but recommend an increase in the quantity, improve the quality and transparency of public investment in agriculture in agriculture.”
Governments are further urged to ensure that small producers have access to, control over and sustainable use of natural resources such as land and water, while on the other hand governments should promote ecologically sustainable agriculture.
Increasing investment in production and farm-level processing by small producers coupled with investing in post-harvest processing, marketing and value development are other recommended steps to be taken in the quest to curb the challenges dogging Southern Africa’s agriculture.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Reversing desertification with livestock in Zimbabwe
According to the UN, 12 million hectares of land - an area the size of Benin - are lost globally to desertification every year. "Continued land degradation is a threat to food security, leading to starvation among the most acutely affected communities and robbing the world of productive land," UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said at the launch of a decade-long effort to tackle desertification in August 2010. Meanwhile, an approach using livestock and specific grazing regimes has seen desertification reversed on over 2,500 hectares of degraded land, in Zimbabwe.
Overgrazing is often seen as a major cause of desertification. But by changing the way animals are managed, the Savory Institute (SI) and Africa Center for Holistic Management (ACHM) have restored 2,700 hectares of degraded land close to Victoria Falls by increasing livestock numbers by 400 per cent. Having increased land productivity, water availability and improved livelihoods, the approach is now being adopted by local communities and pastoralists in Namibia, Zambia, Kenya and Ethiopia.
A source of hope
The grazing approach*, an example of 'holistic management', mimics the natural movements of large herds of wild grazing animals. Livestock are grazed in one area for a maximum of three days, and are not returned for at least nine months. "Overgrazing is a function of time and not of animal numbers," explains Allan Savory, ACHM founder, former wildlife biologist, farmer and consultant. "Whether there is one cow or a thousand does not alter the fact of overgrazing but merely changes the number of plants overgrazed if the animals remain too long in the same place."
Moving across the land in large numbers, the animals break the soil crust with their hooves, trample litter to provide soil cover, and fertilise the soil with nutrient-rich dung and urine. This increases plant growth and improves soil quality. "What we are demonstrating is that we can return to formerly animal-maintained grasslands and savannahs to keep grasslands and their soils alive without burning billions of hectares annually to remove old dead grass in an attempt to keep such grasslands healthy," explains Savory.
"The effects are impressive," Savory enthuses. "We can barely keep pace with grass growth, even in dry years." Increased organic matter and improved soil structure also increase water infiltration and retention within the soil. "The river, which was dry most years, is now flowing again in all but the driest years," Savory observes. "We have water in pools with water lilies and fish through the dry season a kilometre above where they have been known before."
Spreading the word
Communities must work together and stick to the planned grazing regimes if the approach is to work, however. Mobilising whole communities has proved difficult in the past but, with funding from USAID, ACHM has been able to increase the capacity and skills of their staff. Target communities have now been selected to begin practising holistic management and the results, so far, are encouraging. "Even in one season, and doing the grazing badly, communities still got approximately four times the yield of grass," Savory explains.
Communities are also being taught how to use livestock to improve their crop yields. "Instead of transporting manure from the cow to the field, we encourage communities to bring their livestock together in the field for several nights before the crops are planted," explains Huggins Matanga, director of ACHM. Without ploughing, or any soil preparation, the farmers' yields are increasing by three-to-five times. "The difference is astronomical," says Matanga.
Designed as a learning site to demonstrate the impact of holistic management, ACHM's success has attracted governments, NGOs and pastoralists from all over Africa to learn more about the management techniques. Visiting pastoralists from northern Kenya have stated that holistic management is the only hope they see to saving their culture, livestock and livilihoods. Consequently, concerned Kenyans are now collaborating with SI and ACHM to establish a similar learning site to service the Horn of Africa.
A brown revolution
Soil degradation and burning grasslands release large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, contributing greatly to climate change. "Without reversing desertification, climate change cannot be adequately addressed," Savory explains. "Livestock are vilified, but they are the only practical and readily available tool with which to reverse the degradation of the world's rangelands to address this aspect of global climate change."
Increasing soil organic matter by a mere 0.5 per cent on the 5 billion hectares of rangelands worldwide would sequester approximately 720 gigatonnes of carbon from the atmosphere, Savory states. In 2000, the total emissions globally were an estimated 44 gigatonnes. "Yet achieving an increase of two per cent organic matter would be reasonably easy if rangelands are managed holistically," he adds.
By storing large amounts of carbon, Savory believes that healthy soils offer the best hope of tackling climate change. "Biodiversity loss, climate change and desertification are the same issue," he says. "Anyone can grow more green plants using modern technology, genetic engineering and fertilizers, but this ignores the fact that the world is losing an estimated four tons of eroding soil each year per person alive today.
We need a 'brown revolution' that focuses on restoring healthy soils throughout crop and rangeland agriculture on which to both grow food and stabilise the climate. We have all the money in the world but we do not enjoy the luxury of time!"
-New Agriculturist
Overgrazing is often seen as a major cause of desertification. But by changing the way animals are managed, the Savory Institute (SI) and Africa Center for Holistic Management (ACHM) have restored 2,700 hectares of degraded land close to Victoria Falls by increasing livestock numbers by 400 per cent. Having increased land productivity, water availability and improved livelihoods, the approach is now being adopted by local communities and pastoralists in Namibia, Zambia, Kenya and Ethiopia.
A source of hope
The grazing approach*, an example of 'holistic management', mimics the natural movements of large herds of wild grazing animals. Livestock are grazed in one area for a maximum of three days, and are not returned for at least nine months. "Overgrazing is a function of time and not of animal numbers," explains Allan Savory, ACHM founder, former wildlife biologist, farmer and consultant. "Whether there is one cow or a thousand does not alter the fact of overgrazing but merely changes the number of plants overgrazed if the animals remain too long in the same place."
Moving across the land in large numbers, the animals break the soil crust with their hooves, trample litter to provide soil cover, and fertilise the soil with nutrient-rich dung and urine. This increases plant growth and improves soil quality. "What we are demonstrating is that we can return to formerly animal-maintained grasslands and savannahs to keep grasslands and their soils alive without burning billions of hectares annually to remove old dead grass in an attempt to keep such grasslands healthy," explains Savory.
"The effects are impressive," Savory enthuses. "We can barely keep pace with grass growth, even in dry years." Increased organic matter and improved soil structure also increase water infiltration and retention within the soil. "The river, which was dry most years, is now flowing again in all but the driest years," Savory observes. "We have water in pools with water lilies and fish through the dry season a kilometre above where they have been known before."
Spreading the word
Communities must work together and stick to the planned grazing regimes if the approach is to work, however. Mobilising whole communities has proved difficult in the past but, with funding from USAID, ACHM has been able to increase the capacity and skills of their staff. Target communities have now been selected to begin practising holistic management and the results, so far, are encouraging. "Even in one season, and doing the grazing badly, communities still got approximately four times the yield of grass," Savory explains.
Communities are also being taught how to use livestock to improve their crop yields. "Instead of transporting manure from the cow to the field, we encourage communities to bring their livestock together in the field for several nights before the crops are planted," explains Huggins Matanga, director of ACHM. Without ploughing, or any soil preparation, the farmers' yields are increasing by three-to-five times. "The difference is astronomical," says Matanga.
Designed as a learning site to demonstrate the impact of holistic management, ACHM's success has attracted governments, NGOs and pastoralists from all over Africa to learn more about the management techniques. Visiting pastoralists from northern Kenya have stated that holistic management is the only hope they see to saving their culture, livestock and livilihoods. Consequently, concerned Kenyans are now collaborating with SI and ACHM to establish a similar learning site to service the Horn of Africa.
A brown revolution
Soil degradation and burning grasslands release large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, contributing greatly to climate change. "Without reversing desertification, climate change cannot be adequately addressed," Savory explains. "Livestock are vilified, but they are the only practical and readily available tool with which to reverse the degradation of the world's rangelands to address this aspect of global climate change."
Increasing soil organic matter by a mere 0.5 per cent on the 5 billion hectares of rangelands worldwide would sequester approximately 720 gigatonnes of carbon from the atmosphere, Savory states. In 2000, the total emissions globally were an estimated 44 gigatonnes. "Yet achieving an increase of two per cent organic matter would be reasonably easy if rangelands are managed holistically," he adds.
By storing large amounts of carbon, Savory believes that healthy soils offer the best hope of tackling climate change. "Biodiversity loss, climate change and desertification are the same issue," he says. "Anyone can grow more green plants using modern technology, genetic engineering and fertilizers, but this ignores the fact that the world is losing an estimated four tons of eroding soil each year per person alive today.
We need a 'brown revolution' that focuses on restoring healthy soils throughout crop and rangeland agriculture on which to both grow food and stabilise the climate. We have all the money in the world but we do not enjoy the luxury of time!"
-New Agriculturist
Zimbabwe Football Association Still Awaits Work Permit For National Team Coach
Barring Saintfiet's sudden return, interim coach Madinda Ndlovu will direct the Warriors next week in the friendly scheduled with Mozambique in Maputo ahead of Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and the African Nations Championships
A senior official of the Zimbabwe Football Association said ZIFA is still awaiting a response from immigration authorities as to the fate of the Warriors national team coach Tom Saintfiet, deported last month soon after starting work.
Sources said Saintfiet, a Belgian deported in October, is waiting for a work visa in a nearby country.
Barring his sudden return, interim coach Madinda Ndlovu will direct the Warriors next week in the friendly scheduled with Mozambique in Maputo ahead of Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and the African Nations Championships.
ZIFA Competitions Director Benedict Moyo told VOA Studio 7 the association is still hoping for a positive response from the immigration authority as to Saintfiet’s employment.
The national football authority has been rocked by controversy in recent weeks with the firing of former chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya for sending the national team on an unauthorized 2009 tour of Asia during which players and team officials colluded with regional bookmakers to fix matches.
Her case was referred to an arbitrator last week after she challenged ZIFA's decision to fire her.
-VoA Studio7
A senior official of the Zimbabwe Football Association said ZIFA is still awaiting a response from immigration authorities as to the fate of the Warriors national team coach Tom Saintfiet, deported last month soon after starting work.
Sources said Saintfiet, a Belgian deported in October, is waiting for a work visa in a nearby country.
Barring his sudden return, interim coach Madinda Ndlovu will direct the Warriors next week in the friendly scheduled with Mozambique in Maputo ahead of Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and the African Nations Championships.
ZIFA Competitions Director Benedict Moyo told VOA Studio 7 the association is still hoping for a positive response from the immigration authority as to Saintfiet’s employment.
The national football authority has been rocked by controversy in recent weeks with the firing of former chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya for sending the national team on an unauthorized 2009 tour of Asia during which players and team officials colluded with regional bookmakers to fix matches.
Her case was referred to an arbitrator last week after she challenged ZIFA's decision to fire her.
-VoA Studio7
Monday, October 25, 2010
Slight improvement in media climate
HARARE – Zimbabwe weighed in at 123rd position in the latest press freedom index published this week by Reporters Without Borders, showing a slight improvement from last year despite the media environment in the country remaining rather dicey for journalists.
According to the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders, Zimbabwe moved 13 places from last year’s 136th position out of 175 countries, thanks to a partial opening up of the media space following the licensing of new private newspapers since May.
This year’s index included 178 countries.
“Zimbabwe has again made some slow progress, as it did last year. The return of independent dailies is a step forward for public access to information but the situation is still very fragile,” the media freedom watchdog said in the 2010 World Press Freedom Index.
Zimbabwe’s media environment has progressively improved since President Robert Mugabe agreed to share power with former opposition leader – now Prime Minister – Morgan Tsvangirai in 2008.
The country was ranked 151st out of 173 countries prior to the formation of a coalition by Mugabe and Tsvangirai last year.
The coalition government has implemented some of the media reforms agreed in the power-sharing agreement between Mugabe and Tsvangirai although it has avoided instituting far-reaching measures that would drastically open up the country’s media space.
The reforms instituted so far included the establishment of the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) and the licensing of at least nine private newspapers to compete with the state-run titles that have dominated the country’s media landscape since 2003.
But reforms to open up Zimbabwe’s media are likely to take much longer due to reluctance by Mugabe’s allies to allow press freedom.
More than a year after the coalition government was formed, the government broadcaster Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) still dominates the country’s media.
The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe has refused to license private television or radio stations, forcing several radio stations to broadcast into Zimbabwe from Europe or United States.
It however allowed the ZBC to launch a second television channel in May underlining its dominance of the airwaves.
Pressure groups also continue called for the repeal of the draconian Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and other laws that restrict media freedom, blasting the government’s piecemeal approach to addressing media concerns.
AIPPA requires journalists and media houses to register with the government and also criminalises the publication of "falsehoods".
It has been used to harass the independent media, with scores of journalists arrested for operating without government accreditation and at least four private newspapers shut down since 2003.
The arrests have continued as late as this month when a Kwekwe journalist Flata Kavinga was detained for covering a demonstration by Catholic parishoners who were protesting against their priest in the Midlands town.
He was released a day later to allow him to obtain proof of his ZMC accreditation.
-Zimonline
According to the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders, Zimbabwe moved 13 places from last year’s 136th position out of 175 countries, thanks to a partial opening up of the media space following the licensing of new private newspapers since May.
This year’s index included 178 countries.
“Zimbabwe has again made some slow progress, as it did last year. The return of independent dailies is a step forward for public access to information but the situation is still very fragile,” the media freedom watchdog said in the 2010 World Press Freedom Index.
Zimbabwe’s media environment has progressively improved since President Robert Mugabe agreed to share power with former opposition leader – now Prime Minister – Morgan Tsvangirai in 2008.
The country was ranked 151st out of 173 countries prior to the formation of a coalition by Mugabe and Tsvangirai last year.
The coalition government has implemented some of the media reforms agreed in the power-sharing agreement between Mugabe and Tsvangirai although it has avoided instituting far-reaching measures that would drastically open up the country’s media space.
The reforms instituted so far included the establishment of the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) and the licensing of at least nine private newspapers to compete with the state-run titles that have dominated the country’s media landscape since 2003.
But reforms to open up Zimbabwe’s media are likely to take much longer due to reluctance by Mugabe’s allies to allow press freedom.
More than a year after the coalition government was formed, the government broadcaster Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) still dominates the country’s media.
The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe has refused to license private television or radio stations, forcing several radio stations to broadcast into Zimbabwe from Europe or United States.
It however allowed the ZBC to launch a second television channel in May underlining its dominance of the airwaves.
Pressure groups also continue called for the repeal of the draconian Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and other laws that restrict media freedom, blasting the government’s piecemeal approach to addressing media concerns.
AIPPA requires journalists and media houses to register with the government and also criminalises the publication of "falsehoods".
It has been used to harass the independent media, with scores of journalists arrested for operating without government accreditation and at least four private newspapers shut down since 2003.
The arrests have continued as late as this month when a Kwekwe journalist Flata Kavinga was detained for covering a demonstration by Catholic parishoners who were protesting against their priest in the Midlands town.
He was released a day later to allow him to obtain proof of his ZMC accreditation.
-Zimonline
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Marechera, a new post-nationalist writer
Such was the complexity of Dambudzo Marechera’s work that he defies easy categorisation. Most African writers can be comfortably classified as first generation, second generation and so on, based on their thematic focus, the time when they wrote their most important works or even the time when they were born. Born in 1952, Marechera would ordinarily have fitted into the second generation, with the Ben Okris and the Meja Mwangis, until one comes to the little problem of his thematic concerns.
House of Hunger is of course about Zimbabwe, the house in the title, and yet it is not about the ‘nation’ in the style of the nationalists like Chinua Achebe or even Wole Soyinka. It is first and foremost about the individuals in the nation, how poverty, lack of freedom and other existential factors distort their lives. There isn’t that sometimes-obligatory nostalgia for the traditional. In fact, the past is often confronted with derision: “Where are the bloody heroes?” he asks over and over. But then one is confronted with the most nationalist of themes in a poem like “Pledging My Soul”:
Shall I not kneel to kiss the grains of your sand
to rise naked before you – a bowl of incense?
and the smoke of my nakedness shall be
an offering to you
pledging my soul.
If an author is mostly placed by how much he keeps returning to a particular theme, the idea of exile would perhaps explain Marechera more than any other. This is important if one considers the fact that he did not only write about exile as a conceit or abstract symbol, but because he was an exile in London for about nine years. Though this separation inspired poems of longing like “Pledging My Soul”, where home and the past are idealised in a mother/lover imagery, it also solidified his focus on the individual, confirming him as a post-nationalist writer, perhaps the first truly post-nationalist African writer.
- Source: Helon Habila writing for The Africa Report
House of Hunger is of course about Zimbabwe, the house in the title, and yet it is not about the ‘nation’ in the style of the nationalists like Chinua Achebe or even Wole Soyinka. It is first and foremost about the individuals in the nation, how poverty, lack of freedom and other existential factors distort their lives. There isn’t that sometimes-obligatory nostalgia for the traditional. In fact, the past is often confronted with derision: “Where are the bloody heroes?” he asks over and over. But then one is confronted with the most nationalist of themes in a poem like “Pledging My Soul”:
Shall I not kneel to kiss the grains of your sand
to rise naked before you – a bowl of incense?
and the smoke of my nakedness shall be
an offering to you
pledging my soul.
If an author is mostly placed by how much he keeps returning to a particular theme, the idea of exile would perhaps explain Marechera more than any other. This is important if one considers the fact that he did not only write about exile as a conceit or abstract symbol, but because he was an exile in London for about nine years. Though this separation inspired poems of longing like “Pledging My Soul”, where home and the past are idealised in a mother/lover imagery, it also solidified his focus on the individual, confirming him as a post-nationalist writer, perhaps the first truly post-nationalist African writer.
- Source: Helon Habila writing for The Africa Report
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Mugabe chicken to change
Freshlyground have worked with Zapiro's ZA News to create their new music video, a tongue-in-cheek political comment on our northern neighbour's great dictator.
ZA News has collaborated with local Afro-pop band Freshlyground to create a music video of a track from their fourth album, Radio Africa, starring a puppet caricature of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
The track, Chicken to Change, was written as a kind of open letter to Mugabe, calling for him to recognise that his lengthy stint in power needs to come to a long-overdue end.
"I remember a time when you were noble, a conqueror, a supernova," sings Zolani Mahola, decked out in 1980s gear in a farm barn.
The music video, which was first screened on the Trevor Noah Show on Wednesday evening, was made by ZA News, a project created by controversial cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro and director Thierry Cassuto.
The video begins with Mugabe being sworn in as president yet again, after 30 years in office.
The creators pulled no punches about their dismay and irritation with Mugabe -- as he pledges allegiance to his country, other puppet characters roll their eyes and shake their heads in disbelief.
"There are no risks of legal repercussions," says Nazeera Hartley, ZA News production manager. "We've checked it out. Except that Freshlyground have a gig coming up in Zimbabwe. The worst is that they'd need to cancel."
The video plays on the title of the song -- puppets of chickens make regular appearances and Mugabe himself finally explodes into a chicken while reading a copy of Bob's Times as he's being driven to his inauguration ceremony in a limousine.
While in the car he does the royal wave with the windows closed, opening them only a stitch when confronted by people on the street selling, of course, chickens.
"When I wrote and directed the video, I designed Mugabe as an aloof character, always distanced from the land and the people around him, always seeing things through tinted windows," Cassuto says.
"We'd wanted to do a Mugabe project for a while, so when Freshlyground approached us to make a video, we suggested using Chicken to Change." It's an appropriate metaphor -- the rooster is the symbol of Zanu-PF, the party Mugabe has led since the mid-1970s.
But the video is not all dark and sinister. Also making appearances are puppets of former president Nelson Mandela, who thrashes Archbishop Desmond Tutu at dominoes.
"The message was that two of our greatest heroes decided to retire -- they knew when to let others take over, which Bob hasn't realised. They knew when to move away from the spotlight," says Cassuto.
Then there's President Jacob Zuma, sans showerhead, in a shebeen surrounded by a group of women. "Zuma is a party animal and he likes to dance," says Cassuto. "He's right where he belongs -- at the bar, with the ladies. There's one lady there with a stern look on her face. That's one of his wives."
Zuma's actions in the video seem to have a deeper meaning -- the subtext seems to suggest that, while big things are going on in the rest of Africa, Zuma is idling his time away with frivolities -- and, of course, women.
The same could be said for Mandela and Tutu playing games while their voices should be heard in a state that has lost its moral compass.
But, as Cassuto says: "You can read into it what you want. It's not an essay, it's a music video."
Cassuto says it took six weeks to make the Mugabe puppet, a process that began with Shapiro's design. "It was a fantastic experience to take ZA News to another level," says Cassuto. "It shows the flexibility we have with puppets. It's a world-class video."
It's also a blatantly naughty video with a direct political message, poking fun at Mugabe, the man so many people love to hate.
Source: Mail & Guardian newspaper
ZA News has collaborated with local Afro-pop band Freshlyground to create a music video of a track from their fourth album, Radio Africa, starring a puppet caricature of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
The track, Chicken to Change, was written as a kind of open letter to Mugabe, calling for him to recognise that his lengthy stint in power needs to come to a long-overdue end.
"I remember a time when you were noble, a conqueror, a supernova," sings Zolani Mahola, decked out in 1980s gear in a farm barn.
The music video, which was first screened on the Trevor Noah Show on Wednesday evening, was made by ZA News, a project created by controversial cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro and director Thierry Cassuto.
The video begins with Mugabe being sworn in as president yet again, after 30 years in office.
The creators pulled no punches about their dismay and irritation with Mugabe -- as he pledges allegiance to his country, other puppet characters roll their eyes and shake their heads in disbelief.
"There are no risks of legal repercussions," says Nazeera Hartley, ZA News production manager. "We've checked it out. Except that Freshlyground have a gig coming up in Zimbabwe. The worst is that they'd need to cancel."
The video plays on the title of the song -- puppets of chickens make regular appearances and Mugabe himself finally explodes into a chicken while reading a copy of Bob's Times as he's being driven to his inauguration ceremony in a limousine.
While in the car he does the royal wave with the windows closed, opening them only a stitch when confronted by people on the street selling, of course, chickens.
"When I wrote and directed the video, I designed Mugabe as an aloof character, always distanced from the land and the people around him, always seeing things through tinted windows," Cassuto says.
"We'd wanted to do a Mugabe project for a while, so when Freshlyground approached us to make a video, we suggested using Chicken to Change." It's an appropriate metaphor -- the rooster is the symbol of Zanu-PF, the party Mugabe has led since the mid-1970s.
But the video is not all dark and sinister. Also making appearances are puppets of former president Nelson Mandela, who thrashes Archbishop Desmond Tutu at dominoes.
"The message was that two of our greatest heroes decided to retire -- they knew when to let others take over, which Bob hasn't realised. They knew when to move away from the spotlight," says Cassuto.
Then there's President Jacob Zuma, sans showerhead, in a shebeen surrounded by a group of women. "Zuma is a party animal and he likes to dance," says Cassuto. "He's right where he belongs -- at the bar, with the ladies. There's one lady there with a stern look on her face. That's one of his wives."
Zuma's actions in the video seem to have a deeper meaning -- the subtext seems to suggest that, while big things are going on in the rest of Africa, Zuma is idling his time away with frivolities -- and, of course, women.
The same could be said for Mandela and Tutu playing games while their voices should be heard in a state that has lost its moral compass.
But, as Cassuto says: "You can read into it what you want. It's not an essay, it's a music video."
Cassuto says it took six weeks to make the Mugabe puppet, a process that began with Shapiro's design. "It was a fantastic experience to take ZA News to another level," says Cassuto. "It shows the flexibility we have with puppets. It's a world-class video."
It's also a blatantly naughty video with a direct political message, poking fun at Mugabe, the man so many people love to hate.
Source: Mail & Guardian newspaper
Friday, August 20, 2010
Modified Banana Could Cure Deadly Disease
An innovation by researchers in Nigeria could be a cure for the devastating Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW) - responsible for annual losses in excess of 500 million dollars of crop across East and Central Africa. But it has also fuelled debate on the genetic engineering of crops in Africa, writes Busani Bafana for IPS.
On Aug. 4 2010, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) based in Nigeria announced it had successfully engineered resistance of the African banana using genes from a green pepper.
Green pepper contains the plant ferredoxin-like amphipathic protein (Pflp) or hypersensitive response-assisting protein (Hrap) which are considered novel plant proteins that give crops enhanced resistance against deadly pathogens. A transformed banana, infused with Pflp or Hrap have shown strong resistance to BXW in the laboratory and screen houses, according to IITA.
"The Hrap and Pflp genes work by rapidly killing the cells that come into contact with the disease-spreading bacteria; essentially blocking it from spreading any further," said Dr Leena Tripathi, a biotechnologist with IITA."Furthermore, the mechanism - known as Hypersensitivity Response - also activates the defence of adjacent and even distant uninfected plants leading to a systematic acquired resistance."
But anti-GMO (genetically modified organisms) group, Friends of the Earth Nigeria said it was apparent that Africa has become the popular excuse for experimentation in modern biotechnology focusing on the so-called poor man's crops. Crops being targeted included cassava (a staple for over 20 million people in Africa and across the tropical world), cowpea, corn, cotton, banana and plantain.
"What Africa needs right now is a decisive stand to maintain seed as well as cultural diversities and defend staple crops," said Mariann Bassey from Friends of the Earth Nigeria.
Bassey, coordinator of the organisation’s Food Sovereignty and Agrofuels Programme, believes the biotech industry targets people's staple crops even when there is no need for GM varieties. "We believe this case in point (to genetically modify bananas in Uganda) is without any doubt a subtle means of colonising Uganda's local food," she said.
Bassey said during a recent visit to Uganda a local farmer told her that they produced banana in such large quantities that they faced problems with storage. Promoters of GM crops, she said, must not be allowed to use Ugandans as Guinea pigs.
"Ecological agriculture has fed Mankind over thousands of years and improvements have been achieved through knowledgeable handling of seeds - with due respect to cultural, social, spiritual and climatic environments," Bassey told IPS. "We do not want GMOs under any form or guise. Africa can feed itself."
But Triphathi, the lead author of a paper on the research published in the 2010 Molecular Plant Pathology journal, said although it was still a while before the transgenic bananas found their way into farmer’s fields, the breakthrough was a significant step in the fight against the deadly banana disease.
The feat could be a leap in the fight against BXW. If unstopped, scientists say, BXW spells doom for banana production and threatens food security in areas where it is a staple food and a potential high-earning export crop.
Friends of the Earth Nigeria said seed diversity and sustainable farming were key to meeting the world's food needs. The organisation argued that GMOs were a direct threat to the environment and negated the notion of food sovereignty and the pursuit of food security.
Despite opposition to genetic engineering, a transgenic banana could be what Africa needs. Scientific research has found estimated total banana yield loss as a result of BXW infection at between 30 to 52 percent, meaning a huge reduction in the amount of bananas harvested at household level.
The disease, first identified 40 years ago, is widespread in key banana-growing areas such as Uganda, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania. Signs of the disease include wilting and yellowing of leaves, with plants producing yellowish bacterial ooze, premature ripening of the bunch and rotting of the fruit.
Researchers from IITA, in partnership with the National Agricultural Research Organisation and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation, are now ready to evaluate these promising resistant lines under confined field trials after the National Biosafety Committee of Uganda recently approved the tests.
According to the IITA, presently there are no commercial chemicals, bio control agents or resistant varieties to help control the spread of BXW. Currently, the removal of the male bud, known as de-budding, has proved effective in preventing the occurrence of the disease as the male bud of the banana has been found to be the primary infection site. But de-budding is also labour intensive and some farmers are unable to cope.
Tripathi emphasised that even if a source of resistance was identified, developing a truly resistant banana would be extremely difficult given the sterile nature and long gestation period of the crop.
The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) has prioritised the role of research as promoting agricultural productivity. FARA executive director, Dr. Monty Jones, told participants at the 5th African Agricultural Science week held in Burkina Faso in July 2010 that there is no agricultural development without scientific research in Africa.
"I believe that research can do wonders for agriculture in Africa but no matter how outstanding the research products we cannot make an impact if we do not back that research with other packages such as infrastructural development," Jones said.
On Aug. 4 2010, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) based in Nigeria announced it had successfully engineered resistance of the African banana using genes from a green pepper.
Green pepper contains the plant ferredoxin-like amphipathic protein (Pflp) or hypersensitive response-assisting protein (Hrap) which are considered novel plant proteins that give crops enhanced resistance against deadly pathogens. A transformed banana, infused with Pflp or Hrap have shown strong resistance to BXW in the laboratory and screen houses, according to IITA.
"The Hrap and Pflp genes work by rapidly killing the cells that come into contact with the disease-spreading bacteria; essentially blocking it from spreading any further," said Dr Leena Tripathi, a biotechnologist with IITA."Furthermore, the mechanism - known as Hypersensitivity Response - also activates the defence of adjacent and even distant uninfected plants leading to a systematic acquired resistance."
But anti-GMO (genetically modified organisms) group, Friends of the Earth Nigeria said it was apparent that Africa has become the popular excuse for experimentation in modern biotechnology focusing on the so-called poor man's crops. Crops being targeted included cassava (a staple for over 20 million people in Africa and across the tropical world), cowpea, corn, cotton, banana and plantain.
"What Africa needs right now is a decisive stand to maintain seed as well as cultural diversities and defend staple crops," said Mariann Bassey from Friends of the Earth Nigeria.
Bassey, coordinator of the organisation’s Food Sovereignty and Agrofuels Programme, believes the biotech industry targets people's staple crops even when there is no need for GM varieties. "We believe this case in point (to genetically modify bananas in Uganda) is without any doubt a subtle means of colonising Uganda's local food," she said.
Bassey said during a recent visit to Uganda a local farmer told her that they produced banana in such large quantities that they faced problems with storage. Promoters of GM crops, she said, must not be allowed to use Ugandans as Guinea pigs.
"Ecological agriculture has fed Mankind over thousands of years and improvements have been achieved through knowledgeable handling of seeds - with due respect to cultural, social, spiritual and climatic environments," Bassey told IPS. "We do not want GMOs under any form or guise. Africa can feed itself."
But Triphathi, the lead author of a paper on the research published in the 2010 Molecular Plant Pathology journal, said although it was still a while before the transgenic bananas found their way into farmer’s fields, the breakthrough was a significant step in the fight against the deadly banana disease.
The feat could be a leap in the fight against BXW. If unstopped, scientists say, BXW spells doom for banana production and threatens food security in areas where it is a staple food and a potential high-earning export crop.
Friends of the Earth Nigeria said seed diversity and sustainable farming were key to meeting the world's food needs. The organisation argued that GMOs were a direct threat to the environment and negated the notion of food sovereignty and the pursuit of food security.
Despite opposition to genetic engineering, a transgenic banana could be what Africa needs. Scientific research has found estimated total banana yield loss as a result of BXW infection at between 30 to 52 percent, meaning a huge reduction in the amount of bananas harvested at household level.
The disease, first identified 40 years ago, is widespread in key banana-growing areas such as Uganda, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania. Signs of the disease include wilting and yellowing of leaves, with plants producing yellowish bacterial ooze, premature ripening of the bunch and rotting of the fruit.
Researchers from IITA, in partnership with the National Agricultural Research Organisation and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation, are now ready to evaluate these promising resistant lines under confined field trials after the National Biosafety Committee of Uganda recently approved the tests.
According to the IITA, presently there are no commercial chemicals, bio control agents or resistant varieties to help control the spread of BXW. Currently, the removal of the male bud, known as de-budding, has proved effective in preventing the occurrence of the disease as the male bud of the banana has been found to be the primary infection site. But de-budding is also labour intensive and some farmers are unable to cope.
Tripathi emphasised that even if a source of resistance was identified, developing a truly resistant banana would be extremely difficult given the sterile nature and long gestation period of the crop.
The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) has prioritised the role of research as promoting agricultural productivity. FARA executive director, Dr. Monty Jones, told participants at the 5th African Agricultural Science week held in Burkina Faso in July 2010 that there is no agricultural development without scientific research in Africa.
"I believe that research can do wonders for agriculture in Africa but no matter how outstanding the research products we cannot make an impact if we do not back that research with other packages such as infrastructural development," Jones said.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
The Real Heroes
As Zimbabwe commemorates Heroes Day, the official remembrance is again dominated by Zanu PF individuals. Every day we are bombarded with Zanu PF propaganda on the country's only television channel: big breasted, big bottomed women wriggling their bodies, waving their fists and singing endless refrains in praise of Zanu PF. We hear nothing of heroes from other political parties; nothing of the thousands who have died in the last decade in the struggle for good governance, democracy and new leadership in our country. We hear nothing of the ordinary Zimbabweans who who are the real heroes in 2010. This letter is for them, heroes of the last decade, writes Cathy Buckle.
The heroes are mothers and grandmothers who managed to keep homes together and families alive when shops were empty and there was no food to buy. Women who went to bed hungry, made meals from nothing and kept hope alive.
The heroes are our children who lost their childhood in the mayhem of ten years of political violence. Children who watched their families being torn apart as parents, siblings, aunts and uncles fled to the Diaspora to escape and to survive. Children who sat helpless, hopeless outside closed schools. Children who lost ten years of education and as a result are without qualifications and jobs.
The heroes are people in rural villages who have borne the brunt of political intimidation, harassment and violence. Knowing their every move is watched and recorded. Knowing that if their name is not on the "good" list of the village leaders they will not get food, seed, fertilizer. People who continue to endure the most primitive of conditions in homes which are still without piped water, plumbing or electricity 30 years after Independence.
The heroes are the professionals: doctors, nurses, teachers, and so many more who have held their heads high, worked in the most appalling circumstances for miniscule wages, determined to keep giving of their skills which have held Zimbabwe together.
The heroes are the ordinary workers who have toiled for the smallest of wages, wearing threadbare clothes, walking miles to work, struggling through endless power cuts, going for days, weeks and months without water and coping with years of not having garbage collected.
The heroes are the activists who have lost everything, and given everything, to bring freedom for us all. Activists who are not in this massive government we are groaning under; activists who are not driving government cars and earning government allowances but ordinary men and women who are brave, determined, driven.
The heroes are the countless men and women who have worked tirelessly from outside our borders. People who have given 10 years of their lives to exposing events in Zimbabwe, speaking out, lobbying governments, raising money for people in trouble, giving support, encouragement and hope.
Happy Heroes Day to all of us, whatever our race, colour, creed or political persuasion.
The heroes are mothers and grandmothers who managed to keep homes together and families alive when shops were empty and there was no food to buy. Women who went to bed hungry, made meals from nothing and kept hope alive.
The heroes are our children who lost their childhood in the mayhem of ten years of political violence. Children who watched their families being torn apart as parents, siblings, aunts and uncles fled to the Diaspora to escape and to survive. Children who sat helpless, hopeless outside closed schools. Children who lost ten years of education and as a result are without qualifications and jobs.
The heroes are people in rural villages who have borne the brunt of political intimidation, harassment and violence. Knowing their every move is watched and recorded. Knowing that if their name is not on the "good" list of the village leaders they will not get food, seed, fertilizer. People who continue to endure the most primitive of conditions in homes which are still without piped water, plumbing or electricity 30 years after Independence.
The heroes are the professionals: doctors, nurses, teachers, and so many more who have held their heads high, worked in the most appalling circumstances for miniscule wages, determined to keep giving of their skills which have held Zimbabwe together.
The heroes are the ordinary workers who have toiled for the smallest of wages, wearing threadbare clothes, walking miles to work, struggling through endless power cuts, going for days, weeks and months without water and coping with years of not having garbage collected.
The heroes are the activists who have lost everything, and given everything, to bring freedom for us all. Activists who are not in this massive government we are groaning under; activists who are not driving government cars and earning government allowances but ordinary men and women who are brave, determined, driven.
The heroes are the countless men and women who have worked tirelessly from outside our borders. People who have given 10 years of their lives to exposing events in Zimbabwe, speaking out, lobbying governments, raising money for people in trouble, giving support, encouragement and hope.
Happy Heroes Day to all of us, whatever our race, colour, creed or political persuasion.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
‘Tsvangirai can be crushed like a fly’
Newsday, Zimbabwe's privately owned daily tabloid has quoted War veterans’ leader Jabulani Sibanda equating the country's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to “a fly” that could “easily be eliminated” from the political scene if need be, as the Premier did not have the power to rule Zimbabwe.
Sibanda reportedly made the remarks while addressing hundreds of villagers at Mashoko business centre in Bikita West in Masvingo at the weekend where he is allegedly terrorising villagers with the help of a group of war veterans and Zanu-PF activists.
Zaka Central MP Harrison Mudzuri said the statements by Sibanda were worrying, coming at a time when several MDC-T legislators have been involved in suspicious “accidents”.
Sibanda addressed the rally unaware that two MDC-T MPs — Mudzuri and Masvingo Central MP Jefferson Chitando — were among the crowd.
The war veterans’ leader is alleged to have equated Tsvangirai to a fly saying that the Premier could be easily “eliminated” from the country’s political landscape.
“Tsvangirai is just like a fly in a kombi or a bus. The fly can sit on the driver’s seat but that does not make it the one in charge of the bus. He (Tsvangirai)can be eliminated in the political set-up anytime and life will go on,” Sibanda is quoted as telling villagers at the rally.
Mudzuri told NewsDay that the statements by Sibanda could be interpreted to mean that Tsvangirai is taken as an ineffectual partner in the inclusive government despite the country’s three main political parties agreeing to work together.
What Sibanda said can also mean that there is enough machinery in place to crush Tsvangirai both off the political landscape and off the face of the earth. The basis of the argument is the alleged attempt on his life last year that saw his wife perish in a typical ZANU PF inspired "hit" accident.
But Tsvangirai ever since tasting how it feels being at the helm albeit with little close to limited grip on the joy stick has been velvet cushion on Robert Mugabe's couch, firstly rubbishing the talk of an attempt on his life, then calling on the west to remove sanctions and later tell South Africa's Jacob Zuma not to pressure Zimbabwe into having elections.
Power corrupts and for Tsvangirai it goes on to blind one to see that its still the same ZANU PF that has run down the economy and caused multitudes to be maimed and killed by its life of brutality and violence.
Sibanda reportedly made the remarks while addressing hundreds of villagers at Mashoko business centre in Bikita West in Masvingo at the weekend where he is allegedly terrorising villagers with the help of a group of war veterans and Zanu-PF activists.
Zaka Central MP Harrison Mudzuri said the statements by Sibanda were worrying, coming at a time when several MDC-T legislators have been involved in suspicious “accidents”.
Sibanda addressed the rally unaware that two MDC-T MPs — Mudzuri and Masvingo Central MP Jefferson Chitando — were among the crowd.
The war veterans’ leader is alleged to have equated Tsvangirai to a fly saying that the Premier could be easily “eliminated” from the country’s political landscape.
“Tsvangirai is just like a fly in a kombi or a bus. The fly can sit on the driver’s seat but that does not make it the one in charge of the bus. He (Tsvangirai)can be eliminated in the political set-up anytime and life will go on,” Sibanda is quoted as telling villagers at the rally.
Mudzuri told NewsDay that the statements by Sibanda could be interpreted to mean that Tsvangirai is taken as an ineffectual partner in the inclusive government despite the country’s three main political parties agreeing to work together.
What Sibanda said can also mean that there is enough machinery in place to crush Tsvangirai both off the political landscape and off the face of the earth. The basis of the argument is the alleged attempt on his life last year that saw his wife perish in a typical ZANU PF inspired "hit" accident.
But Tsvangirai ever since tasting how it feels being at the helm albeit with little close to limited grip on the joy stick has been velvet cushion on Robert Mugabe's couch, firstly rubbishing the talk of an attempt on his life, then calling on the west to remove sanctions and later tell South Africa's Jacob Zuma not to pressure Zimbabwe into having elections.
Power corrupts and for Tsvangirai it goes on to blind one to see that its still the same ZANU PF that has run down the economy and caused multitudes to be maimed and killed by its life of brutality and violence.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Harare in row with Western diplomats
HARARE – The United States (US), Germany and European Union (EU) ambassadors on Tuesday rejected attempts by Zimbabwe to reprimand them for “disrespecting” President Robert Mugabe, in an escalating row between Harare and the Western diplomats.
Speaking moments after Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi summoned them for walking out of the burial of Mugabe’s sister last Sunday, the ambassadors insisted they were right to live the event after the veteran leader used the occasion to attack their governments.
Mugabe used the burial of his sister at the National Heroes Acre shrine in Harare to launch one of his habitual tirades against Western powers, accusing them of wanting to control Zimbabwe and rob the country of its resources and telling them to “go to hell”.
US ambassador Charles Ray, Germany’s Albrecht Conze and the EU charge de affaires Barbara Plinkert left the burial immediately after Mugabe had finished speaking, a gesture that did not go down well with their Harare hosts.
In a statement to the ambassadors, Mumbengegwi, who met the diplomats separately at his Munhumutapa offices, said: "I have summoned you to convey our concern and disappointment over your conduct on Sunday, during the burial of the late heroine, Sabina Mugabe.
"Your conduct was therefore very disrespectful to our National Heroes shrine, the heroine who was being honoured and His Excellency the President (Mugabe).
"We are disappointed that you chose such a bad occasion to show your disrespect for Zimbabwe, its leaders, its fallen heroes and its people. This kind of behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated."
But the ambassadors immediately hit back, insisting they equally felt wronged that Mumbengegwi was summoning them when they were the ones who were publicly humiliated and their governments denigrated by Mugabe.
“Honourable Minister, I have heard your statement. I regret that you have chosen to make matters worse by exacerbating a problem created by the Zimbabwean side, rather than attempting to put it behind us,” Ray said in his response to Mumbengegwi that he read out to journalists at the joint press conference held at the US embassy.
“I followed the invitation in order to pay my respects. I earned disrespect in return. It became clear to me during your President’s address that I was not welcome. I had to act accordingly,” the American diplomat said.
Asked by reporters if he would apologise, Germany’s Conze said: “No. No. No. I thought this was a closed chapter. I am not sure why someone decided to open it again. We need to concentrate on solving Zimbabwe’s problems.”
The ambassadors also insisted they had not disrespected Mugabe because they did not leave while he was speaking but waited until he had finished.
Mugabe, who had in recent times appeared to tone down his anti-Western rhetoric following his forming a power-sharing government with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai last year, was blistering against Europe and America last Sunday.
He accused the Western powers of maintaining sanctions against him and his inner circle in a bid to push him out of power.
“To hell with them (West). Whoever told them that they are above the people of Zimbabwe, that the decisions that should be made by the people of Zimbabwe are theirs to make?” said Mugabe.
“We should not allow colonial thieves to take our resources. The country is now in our hands and we should hold on unperturbed by unsolicited advice by those who abused us in the past,” he said.
Despite the formation of the unity government, the United States and the EU have remained critical of Mugabe’s rule, accusing the 86-year leader of stifling democracy and stalling on political and economic reforms.
Washington and Brussels have refused to lift sanctions or provide direct financial support to the Harare coalition demanding that it first speeds up democratic reforms and do more to uphold human rights and the rule of law.
However US and the EU remain the biggest providers of humanitarian support to Zimbabwe, which the United Nations said on Tuesday required US$478 million in assistance up from the $378 million that the world body had initially requested for the southern African country.
A revised Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) launched in Harare yesterday is meant to raise assistance to take Zimbabwe until the end of the year. UN officials said the CAP was initially meant to run until April but was being extended owing to increasing humanitarian requirements in the country.
– ZimOnline.
Speaking moments after Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi summoned them for walking out of the burial of Mugabe’s sister last Sunday, the ambassadors insisted they were right to live the event after the veteran leader used the occasion to attack their governments.
Mugabe used the burial of his sister at the National Heroes Acre shrine in Harare to launch one of his habitual tirades against Western powers, accusing them of wanting to control Zimbabwe and rob the country of its resources and telling them to “go to hell”.
US ambassador Charles Ray, Germany’s Albrecht Conze and the EU charge de affaires Barbara Plinkert left the burial immediately after Mugabe had finished speaking, a gesture that did not go down well with their Harare hosts.
In a statement to the ambassadors, Mumbengegwi, who met the diplomats separately at his Munhumutapa offices, said: "I have summoned you to convey our concern and disappointment over your conduct on Sunday, during the burial of the late heroine, Sabina Mugabe.
"Your conduct was therefore very disrespectful to our National Heroes shrine, the heroine who was being honoured and His Excellency the President (Mugabe).
"We are disappointed that you chose such a bad occasion to show your disrespect for Zimbabwe, its leaders, its fallen heroes and its people. This kind of behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated."
But the ambassadors immediately hit back, insisting they equally felt wronged that Mumbengegwi was summoning them when they were the ones who were publicly humiliated and their governments denigrated by Mugabe.
“Honourable Minister, I have heard your statement. I regret that you have chosen to make matters worse by exacerbating a problem created by the Zimbabwean side, rather than attempting to put it behind us,” Ray said in his response to Mumbengegwi that he read out to journalists at the joint press conference held at the US embassy.
“I followed the invitation in order to pay my respects. I earned disrespect in return. It became clear to me during your President’s address that I was not welcome. I had to act accordingly,” the American diplomat said.
Asked by reporters if he would apologise, Germany’s Conze said: “No. No. No. I thought this was a closed chapter. I am not sure why someone decided to open it again. We need to concentrate on solving Zimbabwe’s problems.”
The ambassadors also insisted they had not disrespected Mugabe because they did not leave while he was speaking but waited until he had finished.
Mugabe, who had in recent times appeared to tone down his anti-Western rhetoric following his forming a power-sharing government with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai last year, was blistering against Europe and America last Sunday.
He accused the Western powers of maintaining sanctions against him and his inner circle in a bid to push him out of power.
“To hell with them (West). Whoever told them that they are above the people of Zimbabwe, that the decisions that should be made by the people of Zimbabwe are theirs to make?” said Mugabe.
“We should not allow colonial thieves to take our resources. The country is now in our hands and we should hold on unperturbed by unsolicited advice by those who abused us in the past,” he said.
Despite the formation of the unity government, the United States and the EU have remained critical of Mugabe’s rule, accusing the 86-year leader of stifling democracy and stalling on political and economic reforms.
Washington and Brussels have refused to lift sanctions or provide direct financial support to the Harare coalition demanding that it first speeds up democratic reforms and do more to uphold human rights and the rule of law.
However US and the EU remain the biggest providers of humanitarian support to Zimbabwe, which the United Nations said on Tuesday required US$478 million in assistance up from the $378 million that the world body had initially requested for the southern African country.
A revised Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) launched in Harare yesterday is meant to raise assistance to take Zimbabwe until the end of the year. UN officials said the CAP was initially meant to run until April but was being extended owing to increasing humanitarian requirements in the country.
– ZimOnline.
Monday, July 26, 2010
UK pledges reforms support
HARARE – The British government has pledged to continue supporting reforms in Zimbabwe, saying the troubled southern African country's future remains overshadowed by rule of law abuses and economic difficulties.
Speaking after meeting Zimbabwe’s Education Minister David Coltart in London earlier this week, UK Foreign Office Minister Lord Howell praised the limited progress made so far by Harare’s coalition government in improving living standards for long-suffering Zimbabweans but said the country was far from improving its human rights and economic track record.
“He assured Minister Coltart of the UK’s continuing assistance to help bolster reform and achieve their aims of a stable, democratic and prosperous Zimbabwe,” the British Foreign Office said in a statement.
Coltart was in London last week at the invitation of the Council for Education in the Commonwealth and the Link Community Development Trust which organised a conference on challenges faced by Zimbabwe’s education sector.
The UK and other Western powers have withheld budgetary support for Zimbabwe’s 17-month-old coalition government until there is evidence of “concrete progress” in implementing political reforms.
The Western nations have demanded full implementation of a power-sharing agreement between President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai as a condition for resumption of budgetary support for Zimbabwe.
Implementation of the agreement has been marred by bickering between Mugabe’s ZANU PF party and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Tsvangirai over appointment of key regime officials and the pace of political reforms.
Relations between Britain and Zimbabwe soured after London and its Western allies imposed visa and financial sanctions on Mugabe and his top lieutenants as punishment for violating human rights, stealing elections and failure to uphold the rule of law.
Mugabe denies the charges and instead accuses Britain of reneging on promises to fund land reform in Zimbabwe and charges that London and its Western allies have funded his opponents in a bid to oust him from power as punishment for seizing white land for redistribution to blacks.
-Zimonline
Speaking after meeting Zimbabwe’s Education Minister David Coltart in London earlier this week, UK Foreign Office Minister Lord Howell praised the limited progress made so far by Harare’s coalition government in improving living standards for long-suffering Zimbabweans but said the country was far from improving its human rights and economic track record.
“He assured Minister Coltart of the UK’s continuing assistance to help bolster reform and achieve their aims of a stable, democratic and prosperous Zimbabwe,” the British Foreign Office said in a statement.
Coltart was in London last week at the invitation of the Council for Education in the Commonwealth and the Link Community Development Trust which organised a conference on challenges faced by Zimbabwe’s education sector.
The UK and other Western powers have withheld budgetary support for Zimbabwe’s 17-month-old coalition government until there is evidence of “concrete progress” in implementing political reforms.
The Western nations have demanded full implementation of a power-sharing agreement between President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai as a condition for resumption of budgetary support for Zimbabwe.
Implementation of the agreement has been marred by bickering between Mugabe’s ZANU PF party and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Tsvangirai over appointment of key regime officials and the pace of political reforms.
Relations between Britain and Zimbabwe soured after London and its Western allies imposed visa and financial sanctions on Mugabe and his top lieutenants as punishment for violating human rights, stealing elections and failure to uphold the rule of law.
Mugabe denies the charges and instead accuses Britain of reneging on promises to fund land reform in Zimbabwe and charges that London and its Western allies have funded his opponents in a bid to oust him from power as punishment for seizing white land for redistribution to blacks.
-Zimonline
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
ZANU PF still reigns supreme
By threatening to revoke Econet Wireless's operating license for providing Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) a platform to communicate with supporters, ZANU PF has just reminded us that it is still in control and that there is still no freedom of speech and association in Zimbabwe, writes Simba Nembaware.
Studio 7 reported last night that Zimbabwe's leading mobile operator, Econet Wireless, has pulled the plug on informational phone messages offered to supporters by the MDC after being obliquely threatened by the government with the withdrawal of its business license.
Disguised as one Nathaniel Manheru, a columnist in the state controlled daily newspaper, President Robert Mugabe's spokesperson spews out ZANU PF line of thought and Econet was on saturday shaken by Manheru's statement that the company's license could be pulled if it continued offering the service.
However the same service is also offered by the other two mobile phone operators; Telecel and NetOne with the latter being a state run enterprise like Herald. Government's dislike of Econet dates back into the late 90s when business mogul Strive Masiwa sought a license to set up what then was the country's first cellular phone network. It was the intervention of the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo that saw the birth of Econet but now that he is gone there seems to be no level headed thinker within ZANU PF's ranks.
Denying Econet and MDC the liberty to communicate and associate further pours water on the efforts of the Southern African Development Committee (SADC) and the global community at large to see the country's government of national unity working.
Private newspapers were recently given licenses to operate again but the existence of the very laws that saw them get banned and their journalists, editors, publishers and lawyers get arrested means things have not changed. It is a screen saver designed to portray a progressive nation yet ZANU PF's unrepentant tendencies are lurking below the surface.
Studio 7 reported last night that Zimbabwe's leading mobile operator, Econet Wireless, has pulled the plug on informational phone messages offered to supporters by the MDC after being obliquely threatened by the government with the withdrawal of its business license.
Disguised as one Nathaniel Manheru, a columnist in the state controlled daily newspaper, President Robert Mugabe's spokesperson spews out ZANU PF line of thought and Econet was on saturday shaken by Manheru's statement that the company's license could be pulled if it continued offering the service.
However the same service is also offered by the other two mobile phone operators; Telecel and NetOne with the latter being a state run enterprise like Herald. Government's dislike of Econet dates back into the late 90s when business mogul Strive Masiwa sought a license to set up what then was the country's first cellular phone network. It was the intervention of the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo that saw the birth of Econet but now that he is gone there seems to be no level headed thinker within ZANU PF's ranks.
Denying Econet and MDC the liberty to communicate and associate further pours water on the efforts of the Southern African Development Committee (SADC) and the global community at large to see the country's government of national unity working.
Private newspapers were recently given licenses to operate again but the existence of the very laws that saw them get banned and their journalists, editors, publishers and lawyers get arrested means things have not changed. It is a screen saver designed to portray a progressive nation yet ZANU PF's unrepentant tendencies are lurking below the surface.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Zimbabwe Minister Dismisses Fears Public Comment on Constitution Will be Stifled
ZANU-PF activists in the Maramba Pfungwe constituency in Mashonaland East province have banned MDC and opposition parties from holding public meetings on the constitutional revision process without permission of headmen.
Long-awaited public consultations on the revision of Zimbabwe's constitution were set to begin this week despite fears by some in the former opposition Movement for Democratic Change that police may bar meetings for public comment by inappropriately applying the Public Order and Security Act, a minister said Monday.
The MDC formation led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has accused ZANU-PF officials in some areas of banning public meetings on the constitutional rewrite. There are fears police may frustrate outreach gatherings in areas where the MDC is politically dominant by invoking POSA, considered a draconian piece of legislation.
Constitutional Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga last week suggested to the Cabinet that it suspend POSA in its entirety for the duration of the constitutional outreach process, but no action was taken on the proposal.
A report by the independent daily Newsday quoted Co-minister of Home Affairs Giles Mutsekwa as saying police officers who block public meetings will be breaking the law and should be sued as individuals. He was referring to a ban on all public meetings during the ongoing World Cup of soccer unfolding in South Africa.
Matinenga, a member of the Tsvangirai MDC formation, told VOA Studio 7 reporter Ntungamili Nkomo that fears the police might use POSA to block outreach meetings are unfounded.
However, ZANU-PF activists in the Maramba Pfungwe constituency in Mashonaland East province have banned MDC and opposition parties from holding public meetings related to the constitutional revision process in the area without the approval of village heads. VOA Studio 7 correspondent Irwin Chifera reported from Mutawatawa.
- VOA Studio 7
Long-awaited public consultations on the revision of Zimbabwe's constitution were set to begin this week despite fears by some in the former opposition Movement for Democratic Change that police may bar meetings for public comment by inappropriately applying the Public Order and Security Act, a minister said Monday.
The MDC formation led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has accused ZANU-PF officials in some areas of banning public meetings on the constitutional rewrite. There are fears police may frustrate outreach gatherings in areas where the MDC is politically dominant by invoking POSA, considered a draconian piece of legislation.
Constitutional Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga last week suggested to the Cabinet that it suspend POSA in its entirety for the duration of the constitutional outreach process, but no action was taken on the proposal.
A report by the independent daily Newsday quoted Co-minister of Home Affairs Giles Mutsekwa as saying police officers who block public meetings will be breaking the law and should be sued as individuals. He was referring to a ban on all public meetings during the ongoing World Cup of soccer unfolding in South Africa.
Matinenga, a member of the Tsvangirai MDC formation, told VOA Studio 7 reporter Ntungamili Nkomo that fears the police might use POSA to block outreach meetings are unfounded.
However, ZANU-PF activists in the Maramba Pfungwe constituency in Mashonaland East province have banned MDC and opposition parties from holding public meetings related to the constitutional revision process in the area without the approval of village heads. VOA Studio 7 correspondent Irwin Chifera reported from Mutawatawa.
- VOA Studio 7
Monday, June 14, 2010
State concedes Zim law is unconstitutional
ZIMBABWE'S Chief Law Officer has conceded that the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, which criminalizes publishing or communicating false statements, is vague and should be redrafted, writes Dumi Sigogo for journalism.co.za.
The concessions were made at the Constitutional Court by Tawanda Zvekare who is representing the state in the case in which The Independent, its editor, Vincent Kahiya and Reporter Constantine Chimakure, are being charged under the act.
The two newsmen were arrested in May last year after the weekly paper published an article in its May 8, 2009 edition which named police and secret service agents they claimed tortured former TV news anchor, Jestina Mukoko who is a director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project.
The state accused Kahiya and Chimakure of publishing falsehoods prejudicial to the state and likely to undermine public confidence in the security forces.
Under that law it is a crime to publish or to communicate "to any other person a statement that is wholly or materially false with the intention or realising there is real risk or possibility of undermining public confidence in a law enforcement agency, Prison Service or the Defence Forces of Zimbabwe".
The journalists approached the Constitutional court to have the law declared unconstitutional because it is was unclear, and difficult for an ordinary citizen to determine if an offence had been committed.
Their lawyer argued, "It is difficult to know what conduct or statement may amount to the breach of this particular section. Ascertaining the level of public confidence at any given time is not easy and what yardstick is there to be used. A person who expresses an opinion runs a risk of being prosecuted under this piece of legislation."
In agreeing with the defence, Zvekare said: “Considering the exchanges made in this court, I observe that the draftsmen have to revisit the whole code. The legislature had a noble intention to protect forces from falsehoods, but the draftsmen did not capture it well."
Sitting as a full constitutional bench, Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, his deputy Justice Luke Malaba , Justices Vernanda Ziyambi, Misheck Cheda and Paddington Garwe, reserved judgment to a later date.
The concessions were made at the Constitutional Court by Tawanda Zvekare who is representing the state in the case in which The Independent, its editor, Vincent Kahiya and Reporter Constantine Chimakure, are being charged under the act.
The two newsmen were arrested in May last year after the weekly paper published an article in its May 8, 2009 edition which named police and secret service agents they claimed tortured former TV news anchor, Jestina Mukoko who is a director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project.
The state accused Kahiya and Chimakure of publishing falsehoods prejudicial to the state and likely to undermine public confidence in the security forces.
Under that law it is a crime to publish or to communicate "to any other person a statement that is wholly or materially false with the intention or realising there is real risk or possibility of undermining public confidence in a law enforcement agency, Prison Service or the Defence Forces of Zimbabwe".
The journalists approached the Constitutional court to have the law declared unconstitutional because it is was unclear, and difficult for an ordinary citizen to determine if an offence had been committed.
Their lawyer argued, "It is difficult to know what conduct or statement may amount to the breach of this particular section. Ascertaining the level of public confidence at any given time is not easy and what yardstick is there to be used. A person who expresses an opinion runs a risk of being prosecuted under this piece of legislation."
In agreeing with the defence, Zvekare said: “Considering the exchanges made in this court, I observe that the draftsmen have to revisit the whole code. The legislature had a noble intention to protect forces from falsehoods, but the draftsmen did not capture it well."
Sitting as a full constitutional bench, Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, his deputy Justice Luke Malaba , Justices Vernanda Ziyambi, Misheck Cheda and Paddington Garwe, reserved judgment to a later date.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
NewsDay hits ground running in Zim
PUBLISHER TREVOR NCUBE’S NewsDay has ended the 7-year monopoly enjoyed by government-owned media by becoming the first private daily to hit the streets of Zimbabwe, writes Dumi Sigogo for journalism.co.za.
The paper launched on 4 June, just over a week after the Zimbabwe Media Commission issued it with a long-awaited registration certificate. Since 2003, when the President Robert Mugabe government banned the Daily News Zimbabweans have only had access to state-owned daily newspapers. A handful of independent weeklies survived the government crackdown.
NewsDay, published by Alpha Media Holdings (AMH), says in its maiden edition that it will make a difference to Zimbabwe’s media landscape by giving its readers open and honest alternative voices
"In the 30 years of our independence, media have been abused to relay hate and divisiveness and to create personality cult," NewsDay said. But the paper will “endeavour to report the news for Zimbabweans whose collective voice has systematically drowned out the din of slogans and abhorrent propaganda," the editorial says.
The other three daily papers who were granted licences are The Daily News owned by Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), The Daily Gazette owned by Modus Publications and The Mail owned by a Zanu PF Youth League aligned group called Fruitlink Publishers.
According to Ncube, owner of AMH and publisher of the Mail & Guardian, the unity government will be helped by a vibrant and independent media that empowers both the citizens and those in authority.
“We all need accurate information to make vital decisions and right now both the people and those in authority are poorly served,” he says. Prior to its registration, NewsDay had been running dummies in The Independent and The Standard, weeklies from the AMH stable.
ANZ director Jethro Goko says the Daily News will be out within a month. “Now that we’ve an operating licence, we’ll concretely begin to move ahead with plans to re-launch the paper. The Daily News is an established brand in Zimbabwe and we are hugely confident we will come back with a bang,” he said.
The ZMC was established last year by the new unity government of President Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to replace the unpopular and partisan Media and Information Commission (MIC).
With an investment totaling US$4 million, NewsDay is expected to employ about 300 people including journalists. Journalists have welcomed the granting of newspaper licences saying this progressive development is going to trigger massive competition for readers, advertisers and journalists among newspapers.
The spokesman for Zimbabwe Journalists for Human Rights Dumisani Muleya said: “The licensing of newspapers is a major step in enhancing the broad democratic reform agenda. Hopefully the growth of the media sector and competition will help to create better working conditions and salaries for journalists.”
The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists president, Dumisani Sibanda said: “It’s embarrassing that some journalists are being paid like domestic workers. We hope that these new papers would shake up employers. With competition coming, we as a union believe that salaries will rise.”
Journalists have however expressed their anger and disappointment at ZMC’s decision to keep former MIC chairman, Tafataona Mahoso as its Chief Executive Officer. Mahoso is known as the “media hangman” because under his leadership, the MIC caused the closure of five privately owned newspapers and orchestrated the imprisonment of several journalists.
The ZMC is divided on the issue as only pro-Zanu-PF commissioners support Mahoso’s appointment.
In an effort to drive foreign media out of the country, the now defunct MIC used to charge a massive US$3 000 to local journalists working for foreign media houses. The ZMC has now reduced to US$120. Foreign media organisations or news agencies who want to set up a bureau in the country now only pay US$2 500, down from the US$30 000 per year.
Tsvangirai has vowed to abolish the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, which bans foreign reporters from working permanently in the country.
The paper launched on 4 June, just over a week after the Zimbabwe Media Commission issued it with a long-awaited registration certificate. Since 2003, when the President Robert Mugabe government banned the Daily News Zimbabweans have only had access to state-owned daily newspapers. A handful of independent weeklies survived the government crackdown.
NewsDay, published by Alpha Media Holdings (AMH), says in its maiden edition that it will make a difference to Zimbabwe’s media landscape by giving its readers open and honest alternative voices
"In the 30 years of our independence, media have been abused to relay hate and divisiveness and to create personality cult," NewsDay said. But the paper will “endeavour to report the news for Zimbabweans whose collective voice has systematically drowned out the din of slogans and abhorrent propaganda," the editorial says.
The other three daily papers who were granted licences are The Daily News owned by Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), The Daily Gazette owned by Modus Publications and The Mail owned by a Zanu PF Youth League aligned group called Fruitlink Publishers.
According to Ncube, owner of AMH and publisher of the Mail & Guardian, the unity government will be helped by a vibrant and independent media that empowers both the citizens and those in authority.
“We all need accurate information to make vital decisions and right now both the people and those in authority are poorly served,” he says. Prior to its registration, NewsDay had been running dummies in The Independent and The Standard, weeklies from the AMH stable.
ANZ director Jethro Goko says the Daily News will be out within a month. “Now that we’ve an operating licence, we’ll concretely begin to move ahead with plans to re-launch the paper. The Daily News is an established brand in Zimbabwe and we are hugely confident we will come back with a bang,” he said.
The ZMC was established last year by the new unity government of President Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to replace the unpopular and partisan Media and Information Commission (MIC).
With an investment totaling US$4 million, NewsDay is expected to employ about 300 people including journalists. Journalists have welcomed the granting of newspaper licences saying this progressive development is going to trigger massive competition for readers, advertisers and journalists among newspapers.
The spokesman for Zimbabwe Journalists for Human Rights Dumisani Muleya said: “The licensing of newspapers is a major step in enhancing the broad democratic reform agenda. Hopefully the growth of the media sector and competition will help to create better working conditions and salaries for journalists.”
The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists president, Dumisani Sibanda said: “It’s embarrassing that some journalists are being paid like domestic workers. We hope that these new papers would shake up employers. With competition coming, we as a union believe that salaries will rise.”
Journalists have however expressed their anger and disappointment at ZMC’s decision to keep former MIC chairman, Tafataona Mahoso as its Chief Executive Officer. Mahoso is known as the “media hangman” because under his leadership, the MIC caused the closure of five privately owned newspapers and orchestrated the imprisonment of several journalists.
The ZMC is divided on the issue as only pro-Zanu-PF commissioners support Mahoso’s appointment.
In an effort to drive foreign media out of the country, the now defunct MIC used to charge a massive US$3 000 to local journalists working for foreign media houses. The ZMC has now reduced to US$120. Foreign media organisations or news agencies who want to set up a bureau in the country now only pay US$2 500, down from the US$30 000 per year.
Tsvangirai has vowed to abolish the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, which bans foreign reporters from working permanently in the country.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Zimbabwe Media Commission to award Daily Paper Licenses
The Media Commission said it will issue the licenses within three days for the rollout of papers including the Daily News, forced to close in 2003 by the government, and Newsday from the Independent-Standard group
This is set to bring media pluralism and provide the Zimbabwean public with a wider choice of news outlets. State media has dominated the news terrain of a country that has been polarized on political grounds giving little room for dissenting voices to be heard thereby compromising the basic fundamentals of democracy- freedom of speech.
The recently constituted Zimbabwe Media Commission announced at a news conference late Thursday that it will issue licenses for four new daily papers in a major expansion of the country's long-suffering press.
The Media Commission said it will issue the licenses within three days for the rollout of papers including the Daily News, forced to close in 2003 by the government, and Newsday from the Independent/Standard group.
The commission has been embroiled in controversy since news emerged that former Media and Information Commission Chairman Tafataona Mahoso, responsible for shutting a number of publications, was engaged as the chief executive officer of the commission that replaced in a process that was supposed to reform the sector.
Commissioners said they needed his administrative experience for the interim.
Another worrying issue for media practitioners in Zimbabwe is the continued existence of laws that undermine their line due as they restrain their freedom of speech and expression. The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), Public Order and Security Act (POSA) which were central to the closure of the Daily News and The Tribune are still in place despite assurances from the Mugabe-Tsvangirai unity government to amend these and other "draconian laws."
-VOA News & Simba Nembaware
This is set to bring media pluralism and provide the Zimbabwean public with a wider choice of news outlets. State media has dominated the news terrain of a country that has been polarized on political grounds giving little room for dissenting voices to be heard thereby compromising the basic fundamentals of democracy- freedom of speech.
The recently constituted Zimbabwe Media Commission announced at a news conference late Thursday that it will issue licenses for four new daily papers in a major expansion of the country's long-suffering press.
The Media Commission said it will issue the licenses within three days for the rollout of papers including the Daily News, forced to close in 2003 by the government, and Newsday from the Independent/Standard group.
The commission has been embroiled in controversy since news emerged that former Media and Information Commission Chairman Tafataona Mahoso, responsible for shutting a number of publications, was engaged as the chief executive officer of the commission that replaced in a process that was supposed to reform the sector.
Commissioners said they needed his administrative experience for the interim.
Another worrying issue for media practitioners in Zimbabwe is the continued existence of laws that undermine their line due as they restrain their freedom of speech and expression. The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), Public Order and Security Act (POSA) which were central to the closure of the Daily News and The Tribune are still in place despite assurances from the Mugabe-Tsvangirai unity government to amend these and other "draconian laws."
-VOA News & Simba Nembaware
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Judge President may prove Mugabe hatchet man again
HARARE – Zimbabwe’s new High Court Judge President George Chiweshe, whose controversial appointment has stoked fresh tensions in the power-sharing government, may yet play a decisive role in the quest by President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party to retain power, analysts said.
Chiweshe, who was chairman of a previous discredited electoral commission, is deeply unpopular with Mugabe’s opponents after holding onto election results for five weeks in the watershed March 2008 vote, which saw Mugabe trail Morgan Tsvangirai in the first round of voting.
The 86-year-old went on to win the run-off, which Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Tsvangirai boycotted citing massive violence against his supporters.
Last week Mugabe unilaterally swore-in Chiweshe as Judge President of the High Court without consulting his colleagues in the fragile coalition, triggering uproar from the MDC that accuses Mugabe of intransigence.
Strategic
Analysts said Chiweshe’s new job is strategic in the context of future elections as he will single handedly pick judges from the High Court bench to sit on the Electoral Court to preside over all election related disputes.
“I have no doubt that this was well calculated. Chiweshe is ZANU PF’s man and in his new position he will be able to determine the outcome of all electoral disputes brought to the electoral court,” John Makumbe, a senior political science lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe said.
“He may once again come to Mugabe’s rescue if it gets to that the MDC should be very worried but I don’t see how this decision will be reversed now.”
Chiweshe, a former army officer who fought in Zimbabwe’s 1970s liberation war, was a High Court judge before being deployed to chair the now defunct electoral commission.
A new Zimbabwe Electoral Commission was named last month and is chaired by Simpson Mutambanengwe, a consensus figure who served at the Zimbabwe High Court before moving to the Namibian bench where he worked for more than a decade, including as acting chief justice.
Disputes
ZANU PF and MDC have agreed on some amendments to the electoral rules but analysts said ultimately, if there are disputes, the Electoral Court is the first port of call.
Zimbabwe’s elections have for the past decade been marred by violence, human rights abuses and allegations of rigging with the courts stepping to decide on disputes. But opposition parties have complained about many of the rulings by the courts.
“Mugabe is focused on consolidating power at all costs and so everything that he does unilaterally should be seen in this context,” said Lovemore Madhuku, a constitutional law expert and chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly political pressure group.
The Electoral Court has the power to declare election results null and void on the grounds of fraud, violence and intimidation, ballot tampering and can disqualify a winning candidate and order a re-run.
When the Chiweshe-led electoral commission sat on the March 2008 poll results, the MDC filed an urgent application to the Electoral Court to have them released, but the court threw out the application.
Zimbabwe’s High Court and Supreme Court have since 2002 undergone several changes, with white judges pushed out in favour of black judges.
Compromised
Most of the judges have been given choice farms seized from white commercial farmers and critics say this has compromised their independence, but the judges maintain that they remain impartial.
“It is going to be difficult in future for the MDC to accept the rulings of the Electoral Court judges nominated by Chiweshe. Consequently, will Chiweshe rule in favour of an application by the MDC, which has openly opposed his appointment?” said Makumbe.
The southern African country has always had troubled elections since 2000, with disputes spilling into the courts, but this has rarely changed the outcome, with some Supreme Court judgments being delivered when the life of a parliament has expired and fresh elections are due.
The unity government formed in February last year was meant to put in place political, media and security reforms to prepare for free and fair fresh elections, but troubles over how to share power have stalled most of the reforms.
While the coalition has hobbled along, analysts say it is unlikely to disintegrate as this could plunge the recovering economy back into crisis.
– ZimOnline
Chiweshe, who was chairman of a previous discredited electoral commission, is deeply unpopular with Mugabe’s opponents after holding onto election results for five weeks in the watershed March 2008 vote, which saw Mugabe trail Morgan Tsvangirai in the first round of voting.
The 86-year-old went on to win the run-off, which Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Tsvangirai boycotted citing massive violence against his supporters.
Last week Mugabe unilaterally swore-in Chiweshe as Judge President of the High Court without consulting his colleagues in the fragile coalition, triggering uproar from the MDC that accuses Mugabe of intransigence.
Strategic
Analysts said Chiweshe’s new job is strategic in the context of future elections as he will single handedly pick judges from the High Court bench to sit on the Electoral Court to preside over all election related disputes.
“I have no doubt that this was well calculated. Chiweshe is ZANU PF’s man and in his new position he will be able to determine the outcome of all electoral disputes brought to the electoral court,” John Makumbe, a senior political science lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe said.
“He may once again come to Mugabe’s rescue if it gets to that the MDC should be very worried but I don’t see how this decision will be reversed now.”
Chiweshe, a former army officer who fought in Zimbabwe’s 1970s liberation war, was a High Court judge before being deployed to chair the now defunct electoral commission.
A new Zimbabwe Electoral Commission was named last month and is chaired by Simpson Mutambanengwe, a consensus figure who served at the Zimbabwe High Court before moving to the Namibian bench where he worked for more than a decade, including as acting chief justice.
Disputes
ZANU PF and MDC have agreed on some amendments to the electoral rules but analysts said ultimately, if there are disputes, the Electoral Court is the first port of call.
Zimbabwe’s elections have for the past decade been marred by violence, human rights abuses and allegations of rigging with the courts stepping to decide on disputes. But opposition parties have complained about many of the rulings by the courts.
“Mugabe is focused on consolidating power at all costs and so everything that he does unilaterally should be seen in this context,” said Lovemore Madhuku, a constitutional law expert and chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly political pressure group.
The Electoral Court has the power to declare election results null and void on the grounds of fraud, violence and intimidation, ballot tampering and can disqualify a winning candidate and order a re-run.
When the Chiweshe-led electoral commission sat on the March 2008 poll results, the MDC filed an urgent application to the Electoral Court to have them released, but the court threw out the application.
Zimbabwe’s High Court and Supreme Court have since 2002 undergone several changes, with white judges pushed out in favour of black judges.
Compromised
Most of the judges have been given choice farms seized from white commercial farmers and critics say this has compromised their independence, but the judges maintain that they remain impartial.
“It is going to be difficult in future for the MDC to accept the rulings of the Electoral Court judges nominated by Chiweshe. Consequently, will Chiweshe rule in favour of an application by the MDC, which has openly opposed his appointment?” said Makumbe.
The southern African country has always had troubled elections since 2000, with disputes spilling into the courts, but this has rarely changed the outcome, with some Supreme Court judgments being delivered when the life of a parliament has expired and fresh elections are due.
The unity government formed in February last year was meant to put in place political, media and security reforms to prepare for free and fair fresh elections, but troubles over how to share power have stalled most of the reforms.
While the coalition has hobbled along, analysts say it is unlikely to disintegrate as this could plunge the recovering economy back into crisis.
– ZimOnline
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Homosexual workers face new Mugabe charge
HARARE – Police on Monday slapped two members of the Gays and Lesbians Association of Zimbabwe (GALZ) with a new charge of undermining President Robert Mugabe, one of their lawyers said last night.
The GALZ members, Ellen Chademana and Ignatius Muhambi, were arrested last Friday by police who stormed the organisation’s Harare offices claiming they were looking for dangerous drugs and pornographic material.
The lawyer, David Hofisi, said in addition to formally charging the GALZ employees with possessing drugs and pornographic material, the police had also charged the two with undermining Mugabe by allegedly displaying a plaque in their office showing former San Francisco Mayor Willie Lewis Brown Jr denouncing the President’s homophobia.
“They have now been formally charged and a fresh charge of undermining President Mugabe has now been added,” said Hofisi, who is from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) that is helping defend the two GALZ workers.
According to Hofisi the two were likely to appear in court tomorrow after today’s Africa Day holiday.
Mugabe is known for his dislike for gay and lesbian people who he has described as “worse than dogs and pigs” and the President’s supporters and government agencies have fought to keep the country's small homosexual community away from the public view most notably by barring them from participating at the Zimbabwe International Book Fair.
Earlier this year Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai publicly spoke out against homosexuality and said an exercise underway to write a new constitution for Zimbabwe should not be used to smuggle the rights of gay and lesbian people into the country’s fundamental law.
In a sign that the anti-homosexual tendency is probably common across the region, a Malawian judge last week sentenced a gay couple Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza to a maximum of 14 years in prison with hard labor under that country’s anti-gay legislation.
– ZimOnline.
The GALZ members, Ellen Chademana and Ignatius Muhambi, were arrested last Friday by police who stormed the organisation’s Harare offices claiming they were looking for dangerous drugs and pornographic material.
The lawyer, David Hofisi, said in addition to formally charging the GALZ employees with possessing drugs and pornographic material, the police had also charged the two with undermining Mugabe by allegedly displaying a plaque in their office showing former San Francisco Mayor Willie Lewis Brown Jr denouncing the President’s homophobia.
“They have now been formally charged and a fresh charge of undermining President Mugabe has now been added,” said Hofisi, who is from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) that is helping defend the two GALZ workers.
According to Hofisi the two were likely to appear in court tomorrow after today’s Africa Day holiday.
Mugabe is known for his dislike for gay and lesbian people who he has described as “worse than dogs and pigs” and the President’s supporters and government agencies have fought to keep the country's small homosexual community away from the public view most notably by barring them from participating at the Zimbabwe International Book Fair.
Earlier this year Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai publicly spoke out against homosexuality and said an exercise underway to write a new constitution for Zimbabwe should not be used to smuggle the rights of gay and lesbian people into the country’s fundamental law.
In a sign that the anti-homosexual tendency is probably common across the region, a Malawian judge last week sentenced a gay couple Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza to a maximum of 14 years in prison with hard labor under that country’s anti-gay legislation.
– ZimOnline.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Mugabe Unilaterally Names Judges
President Mugabe swore in former High Court Judge President Rita Makarau as a Supreme Court justice, replacing her as top High Court justice with George Chiweshe, former chairman of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
The uneasy partners in Zimbabwe's national unity government have one more issue to divide them: President Robert Mugabe's appointment this week of a new Supreme Court judge and four High Court judges without consultation with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, to which his Movement for Democratic Change immediately objected.
President Mugabe swore in former High Court Judge President Rita Makarau as a Supreme Court justice, replacing her as top High Court justice with George Chiweshe, former chairman of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.
Chiweshe was in charge of counting ballots and compiling results in the controversial 2008 elections when his panel was criticized for its delay of more than a month in announcing the outcome of the presidential race (it declared that opposition leader Tsvangirai had failed to receive a majority of votes and said a runoff would be required).
Sworn in with Chiweshe were Nicholas Mathonsi, Andrew Mutema and Garainesu Mawadze.
ZANU-PF sources responded that there was no need for Mr. Mugabe consult Mr. Tsvangirai or Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, the third principal in the government established under the September 2008 Global Political Agreement, as constitutionally the president is only allowed to consult with the Judicial Service Commission.
Spokesman Nelson Chamisa of the Tsvangirai MDC formation said the party was dismayed by the new appointments. ZANU-PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo said President Mugabe has the right to name judges.
Elsewhere in politics, VOA Studio 7 correspondent Mark Peter Ntambe reported that opposition Mavambo party leader Simba Makoni, a former presidential candidate, said the unity government is neither united nor inclusive and is not serving the Zimbabwean people, concluding that its failure to function properly obliges early elections.
- VOA Studio 7
The uneasy partners in Zimbabwe's national unity government have one more issue to divide them: President Robert Mugabe's appointment this week of a new Supreme Court judge and four High Court judges without consultation with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, to which his Movement for Democratic Change immediately objected.
President Mugabe swore in former High Court Judge President Rita Makarau as a Supreme Court justice, replacing her as top High Court justice with George Chiweshe, former chairman of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.
Chiweshe was in charge of counting ballots and compiling results in the controversial 2008 elections when his panel was criticized for its delay of more than a month in announcing the outcome of the presidential race (it declared that opposition leader Tsvangirai had failed to receive a majority of votes and said a runoff would be required).
Sworn in with Chiweshe were Nicholas Mathonsi, Andrew Mutema and Garainesu Mawadze.
ZANU-PF sources responded that there was no need for Mr. Mugabe consult Mr. Tsvangirai or Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, the third principal in the government established under the September 2008 Global Political Agreement, as constitutionally the president is only allowed to consult with the Judicial Service Commission.
Spokesman Nelson Chamisa of the Tsvangirai MDC formation said the party was dismayed by the new appointments. ZANU-PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo said President Mugabe has the right to name judges.
Elsewhere in politics, VOA Studio 7 correspondent Mark Peter Ntambe reported that opposition Mavambo party leader Simba Makoni, a former presidential candidate, said the unity government is neither united nor inclusive and is not serving the Zimbabwean people, concluding that its failure to function properly obliges early elections.
- VOA Studio 7
Thursday, May 20, 2010
UK drama on Mugabe assassination plot
A NEW British drama has the attempted assassination of President Robert Mugabe as its plot.
Chris Ryan’s Strike Back – hailed as the new 24 after the cult American series – is aired across two hours between 9PM and 11PM on Sky2 Thursday.
The drama has six episodes following three different story lines.
The third and fourth episodes see a former British soldier blamed for an assassination attempt on the veteran Zimbabwean leader in Harare.
After news reports about the accused reach London, Collinson, played by Andrew Lincoln, is tasked with silencing the would-be shooter Felix Masuku (Shaun Parkes), and sends John Porter (Richard Armitage) undercover to Chikurubi Maximum Prison where the criminal is being held.
Once inside, he breaks Masuku out of jail, but is pursued by Colonel Tshuma's Elite Guard.Porter and Masuku realise they cannot escape from Colonel Tshuma and seek refuge in an orphanage, where they prepare to do battle.
The drama is based on Chris Ryan’s fictional best-seller, explain the makers of the film which was shot in South Africa.
-New Zimbabwe
Chris Ryan’s Strike Back – hailed as the new 24 after the cult American series – is aired across two hours between 9PM and 11PM on Sky2 Thursday.
The drama has six episodes following three different story lines.
The third and fourth episodes see a former British soldier blamed for an assassination attempt on the veteran Zimbabwean leader in Harare.
After news reports about the accused reach London, Collinson, played by Andrew Lincoln, is tasked with silencing the would-be shooter Felix Masuku (Shaun Parkes), and sends John Porter (Richard Armitage) undercover to Chikurubi Maximum Prison where the criminal is being held.
Once inside, he breaks Masuku out of jail, but is pursued by Colonel Tshuma's Elite Guard.Porter and Masuku realise they cannot escape from Colonel Tshuma and seek refuge in an orphanage, where they prepare to do battle.
The drama is based on Chris Ryan’s fictional best-seller, explain the makers of the film which was shot in South Africa.
-New Zimbabwe
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Impact of Zimbabwe's Operation Murambatsvina Continues Five Years Later - Amnesty Intn'l
Amnesty and its partners said they will submit a petition to Prime Minister Tsvangirai this week urging Harare to provide alternative housing to those still displaced by Murambatsvina, or else compensate them for their economic loss
Five years after thousands of homes in Harare and other Zimbabwean cities and towns were demolished in Operation Murambatsvina, thousands of victims remain homeless and the unity government has done nothing to alleviate their suffering, Amnesty International and a number of local non-governmental organizations said in a report.
Amnesty and its partners said they will submit a petition to Prime Minister Tsvangirai this week urging Harare to provide alternative housing to those still displaced by Murambatsvina, or else compensate them for their economic loss.
The reports said many of those driven from their homes were relocated to rural areas, found shelter in overcrowded urban housing or were pushed by authorities into designated settlement areas.
The Zimbabwean government on May 18, 2005, began demolishing informal settlements across the country leaving more than estimated 700,000 people homeless or without livelihoods or both, the United Nations concluded.
Following worldwide condemnation the government launched a housing program called Operation Garikai, but few if any of those displaced by Operation Murambatsvina received new homes and the project was later abandoned.
Amnesty International Zimbabwe Researcher Simeon Mawanza told VOA Studio 7 that the Harare government seems to have completely forgotten the victims of Operation Murambatsvina.
-VOA Studio 7
Five years after thousands of homes in Harare and other Zimbabwean cities and towns were demolished in Operation Murambatsvina, thousands of victims remain homeless and the unity government has done nothing to alleviate their suffering, Amnesty International and a number of local non-governmental organizations said in a report.
Amnesty and its partners said they will submit a petition to Prime Minister Tsvangirai this week urging Harare to provide alternative housing to those still displaced by Murambatsvina, or else compensate them for their economic loss.
The reports said many of those driven from their homes were relocated to rural areas, found shelter in overcrowded urban housing or were pushed by authorities into designated settlement areas.
The Zimbabwean government on May 18, 2005, began demolishing informal settlements across the country leaving more than estimated 700,000 people homeless or without livelihoods or both, the United Nations concluded.
Following worldwide condemnation the government launched a housing program called Operation Garikai, but few if any of those displaced by Operation Murambatsvina received new homes and the project was later abandoned.
Amnesty International Zimbabwe Researcher Simeon Mawanza told VOA Studio 7 that the Harare government seems to have completely forgotten the victims of Operation Murambatsvina.
-VOA Studio 7
Monday, May 17, 2010
ZANU PF wants only 10 white farmers in province
HARARE – Zimbabwe’s chaotic land reform programme assumed a new twist last week amid reports that only 10 white farmers would be allowed to remain in the country’s Mashonaland Central province under a new plan hatched by hardliners from President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party in the province.
The Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), which represents the interests of the besieged Zimbabwean white farmers, said some of its members were being invited to “a provincial centre” where they are informed of the decision to allow them to continue farming.
“The week before last we had picked up information that some farmers were being called in to a provincial centre to be formally advised that they were to be one of the ten farmers who were allegedly to remain and continue farming in each district of that particular province,” a union spokesperson said last week.
Sources said the province in question was Mashonaland Central which has some of the best agricultural land in the country but has also seen some of the worst cases of violence linked to the seizure of white-owned farms.
“This news was of course received with some relief by some and with some scepticism by others, particularly as we are aiming towards a moratorium being declared on evictions and prosecutions as part of the land audit which will hopefully be taking place in the not too distant future,” the spokesperson said.
The CFU has a pending Supreme Court application in which it is seeking an order calling for a moratorium on the ongoing prosecutions and evictions of white farmers by Mugabe’s supporters.
The union wants an order suspending ongoing prosecutions and criminal proceedings against several of its members accused of allegedly contravening Section 3(3) of the Gazetted Land Act.
The union contends that the prosecutions are “invalid and of no force” and violate the constitutional rights of the farmers.
The Attorney General’s Office has in recent months stepped up prosecution of white farmers it claims are refusing to vacate land acquired by the government for purposes of redistribution to land less blacks.
This is despite the fact that the Southern African Development (SADC) Tribunal ruled in 2008 that the government’s land reform programme is discriminatory and illegal under the SADC Treaty to which Zimbabwe is signatory.
Hordes of ZANU PF supporters, so-called war veterans and members of the army and police stepped up farm invasions almost immediately after the formation of the inclusive government in February 2009.
Commercial farmers’ organisations say invaders have since raided at least 150 of the about 300 remaining white-owned commercial farms, a development that has intensified doubts over whether the unity government will withstand attempts by ZANU PF hardliners to sabotage it.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has ordered the arrest and prosecution of the farm invaders but his word is largely ignored with farmers reporting continuing invasions of their properties and disruption of farming activities.
The International Monetary Fund and Western countries have – on top of other conditions – made it clear that they would not consider giving aid to the Harare government while farm invasion continue.
Zimbabwe has since 2000, when land reforms began, relied on food imports and handouts from international food agencies mainly due to failure by resettled black peasants to maintain production on former white farms.
– ZimOnline
The Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), which represents the interests of the besieged Zimbabwean white farmers, said some of its members were being invited to “a provincial centre” where they are informed of the decision to allow them to continue farming.
“The week before last we had picked up information that some farmers were being called in to a provincial centre to be formally advised that they were to be one of the ten farmers who were allegedly to remain and continue farming in each district of that particular province,” a union spokesperson said last week.
Sources said the province in question was Mashonaland Central which has some of the best agricultural land in the country but has also seen some of the worst cases of violence linked to the seizure of white-owned farms.
“This news was of course received with some relief by some and with some scepticism by others, particularly as we are aiming towards a moratorium being declared on evictions and prosecutions as part of the land audit which will hopefully be taking place in the not too distant future,” the spokesperson said.
The CFU has a pending Supreme Court application in which it is seeking an order calling for a moratorium on the ongoing prosecutions and evictions of white farmers by Mugabe’s supporters.
The union wants an order suspending ongoing prosecutions and criminal proceedings against several of its members accused of allegedly contravening Section 3(3) of the Gazetted Land Act.
The union contends that the prosecutions are “invalid and of no force” and violate the constitutional rights of the farmers.
The Attorney General’s Office has in recent months stepped up prosecution of white farmers it claims are refusing to vacate land acquired by the government for purposes of redistribution to land less blacks.
This is despite the fact that the Southern African Development (SADC) Tribunal ruled in 2008 that the government’s land reform programme is discriminatory and illegal under the SADC Treaty to which Zimbabwe is signatory.
Hordes of ZANU PF supporters, so-called war veterans and members of the army and police stepped up farm invasions almost immediately after the formation of the inclusive government in February 2009.
Commercial farmers’ organisations say invaders have since raided at least 150 of the about 300 remaining white-owned commercial farms, a development that has intensified doubts over whether the unity government will withstand attempts by ZANU PF hardliners to sabotage it.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has ordered the arrest and prosecution of the farm invaders but his word is largely ignored with farmers reporting continuing invasions of their properties and disruption of farming activities.
The International Monetary Fund and Western countries have – on top of other conditions – made it clear that they would not consider giving aid to the Harare government while farm invasion continue.
Zimbabwe has since 2000, when land reforms began, relied on food imports and handouts from international food agencies mainly due to failure by resettled black peasants to maintain production on former white farms.
– ZimOnline
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
police question editor
The editor of THE Masvingo Mirror, Golden Maunganidze, was yesterday being interrogated by police in Harare over a story he wrote linking Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi to the disappearance of gifts meant for Robert Mugabe, writes Tichaona Sibanda for SW Radio Africa.
Hundreds of tonnes of sugar donated to Mugabe by party activists in Masvingo province on his 86th birthday, reportedly went missing and have never been found. The ‘theft’ triggered a massive upheaval in the province with certain top officials accusing each other of the disappearance.
Mzembi was one of those mentioned in a story written by Maunganidze. The Minister immediately filed charges of criminal defamation against the editor. This forced Maunganidze to go into hiding after police threatened him with arrest over the story.
Acting on advice from the media watchdog MISA, Maunganidze travelled to Harare Monday and presented himself to the police at the Harare central station. A journalist in Harare told us; ‘The information that we have is he’s not under arrest but is being questioned over the story he wrote linking Mzembi to the alleged theft of gifts meant for Mugabe’.
The government regularly uses the criminal defamation law as a weapon to silence journalists in the country. Five Harare based journalists were last week summoned to court to answer charges over a story linking business mogul Phillip Chiyangwa, and local government Minister Ignatius Chombo, to a serious land scandal in the capital city.
Hundreds of tonnes of sugar donated to Mugabe by party activists in Masvingo province on his 86th birthday, reportedly went missing and have never been found. The ‘theft’ triggered a massive upheaval in the province with certain top officials accusing each other of the disappearance.
Mzembi was one of those mentioned in a story written by Maunganidze. The Minister immediately filed charges of criminal defamation against the editor. This forced Maunganidze to go into hiding after police threatened him with arrest over the story.
Acting on advice from the media watchdog MISA, Maunganidze travelled to Harare Monday and presented himself to the police at the Harare central station. A journalist in Harare told us; ‘The information that we have is he’s not under arrest but is being questioned over the story he wrote linking Mzembi to the alleged theft of gifts meant for Mugabe’.
The government regularly uses the criminal defamation law as a weapon to silence journalists in the country. Five Harare based journalists were last week summoned to court to answer charges over a story linking business mogul Phillip Chiyangwa, and local government Minister Ignatius Chombo, to a serious land scandal in the capital city.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
FAO appeals to public to blow whistle on hunger
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)will next week Tuesday launch “The 1billionhungry project” at its headquarters in Rome, Italy aimed at creating a global movement to fight for adequate food for all.
The campaign is led by internationalpersonalities from the arts and sporting worlds such as France's Senegalese-born Manchester City midfielder Patrick Vieira, Olympic gold medalist fencer Valentina Vezzali, US track and field legend Carl Lewis, and FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf.
Other celebrities who have lent their support to the campaign include award-winning British actor Jeremy Irons plus European Premier League footballers Raul Gonzalez of Real Madrid, João Moutinho of Sporting de Lisboa, Gary Neville of Manchester United, Luca Toni of Roma and René Adler of Bayer Leverkusen. Their unique contributions will also be unveiled at the 1billionhungry project launch.
Using a whistle as a campaign icon and an innovative online petition as a campaigning tool, “The 1billionhungry project” will give people the chance to express their disgust that in the 21st century more than one billion people still do not get enough to eat.
The project has been made possible by the pro Bono help of the advertising company McCann Erickson, the billboard and display company IGP Decaux, the FilmMaster production company, the European Professional Football Leagues, and a growing list of civil society partners.
-FAO,Simba Nembaware
The campaign is led by internationalpersonalities from the arts and sporting worlds such as France's Senegalese-born Manchester City midfielder Patrick Vieira, Olympic gold medalist fencer Valentina Vezzali, US track and field legend Carl Lewis, and FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf.
Other celebrities who have lent their support to the campaign include award-winning British actor Jeremy Irons plus European Premier League footballers Raul Gonzalez of Real Madrid, João Moutinho of Sporting de Lisboa, Gary Neville of Manchester United, Luca Toni of Roma and René Adler of Bayer Leverkusen. Their unique contributions will also be unveiled at the 1billionhungry project launch.
Using a whistle as a campaign icon and an innovative online petition as a campaigning tool, “The 1billionhungry project” will give people the chance to express their disgust that in the 21st century more than one billion people still do not get enough to eat.
The project has been made possible by the pro Bono help of the advertising company McCann Erickson, the billboard and display company IGP Decaux, the FilmMaster production company, the European Professional Football Leagues, and a growing list of civil society partners.
-FAO,Simba Nembaware
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Zimbabwe Cabinet to Review Sensitive Issue of Hosting North Korean Soccer Teams
Education Minister David Coltart, senator for the Bulawayo constituency of Khumalo, said it is not yet clear if the North Koreans will train in Zimbabwe during the 2010 World Cup starting next month in South Africa.
The Zimbabwean Cabinet on Tuesday was to take up the highly sensitive question of to whether the country should invite North Korea's soccer team to train in the country through the World Cup in neighboring South Africa, amid demands by Matabeleland regional activists that the team not be welcomed.
Objections have to do with the fact that the Zimbabwean Fifth Brigade, accused of committing massacres during the 1980s Gukurahundi conflict between rival liberation forces in Matabeleland, was North Korean-trained.
Education Minister David Coltart, senator for the Bulawayo constituency of Khumalo, said it is not yet clear if the North Koreans will train in Zimbabwe during the 2010 World Cup next month in South Africa.
Coltart said that while it is unfair to blame the young soccer players for the Fifth Brigade massacres in the Midlands and Matabeleland regions in the 1980s, the government should take into account the demands by regional Matabeleland activists that the North Korean team not train in Zimbabwe.
Coltart told VOA Studio 7 that there is no need to open up old wounds by hosting a team whose presence in the country may provoke political disturbances. “It is important that we deal with this issue in a sensitive manner so that we don’t allow a visit like this to inflame passions or re-open wounds,” Coltart said.
Brilliant Mhlanga, a member of the Matabeleland activist group Ibhetshu Likazulu, said the North Korean soccer players would not be welcome in Matabeleland or anywhere else in Zimbabwe. He said would be a "symbolic insult" to have the North Koreans train in Zimbabwe as the Fifth Brigade atrocities remain unresolved.
“Our wounds are still fresh and it is even more insulting to the spirit of those whose innocent blood was shed after undergoing the most horrific, evil and satanic acts ever committed in the history of modern day Zimbabwe,” he said.
Historians estimate that more than 20,000 people, mainly of the Ndebele ethnic group, were killed by soldiers of the Fifth Brigade in a purge of supporters of then-opposition leader Joshua Nkomo, head of the Zimbabwe African People's Union, which later merged with the Zimbabwe African National Union of Robert Mugabe.
Nkomo became Zimbabwean vice president under the Unity Accord which ended the fighting.
President Robert Mugabe has described the massacres as “an act of madness,” he has failed to publicly apologize for atrocities or provide compensation for the families of civilians killed by government troops.
-VOA News
The Zimbabwean Cabinet on Tuesday was to take up the highly sensitive question of to whether the country should invite North Korea's soccer team to train in the country through the World Cup in neighboring South Africa, amid demands by Matabeleland regional activists that the team not be welcomed.
Objections have to do with the fact that the Zimbabwean Fifth Brigade, accused of committing massacres during the 1980s Gukurahundi conflict between rival liberation forces in Matabeleland, was North Korean-trained.
Education Minister David Coltart, senator for the Bulawayo constituency of Khumalo, said it is not yet clear if the North Koreans will train in Zimbabwe during the 2010 World Cup next month in South Africa.
Coltart said that while it is unfair to blame the young soccer players for the Fifth Brigade massacres in the Midlands and Matabeleland regions in the 1980s, the government should take into account the demands by regional Matabeleland activists that the North Korean team not train in Zimbabwe.
Coltart told VOA Studio 7 that there is no need to open up old wounds by hosting a team whose presence in the country may provoke political disturbances. “It is important that we deal with this issue in a sensitive manner so that we don’t allow a visit like this to inflame passions or re-open wounds,” Coltart said.
Brilliant Mhlanga, a member of the Matabeleland activist group Ibhetshu Likazulu, said the North Korean soccer players would not be welcome in Matabeleland or anywhere else in Zimbabwe. He said would be a "symbolic insult" to have the North Koreans train in Zimbabwe as the Fifth Brigade atrocities remain unresolved.
“Our wounds are still fresh and it is even more insulting to the spirit of those whose innocent blood was shed after undergoing the most horrific, evil and satanic acts ever committed in the history of modern day Zimbabwe,” he said.
Historians estimate that more than 20,000 people, mainly of the Ndebele ethnic group, were killed by soldiers of the Fifth Brigade in a purge of supporters of then-opposition leader Joshua Nkomo, head of the Zimbabwe African People's Union, which later merged with the Zimbabwe African National Union of Robert Mugabe.
Nkomo became Zimbabwean vice president under the Unity Accord which ended the fighting.
President Robert Mugabe has described the massacres as “an act of madness,” he has failed to publicly apologize for atrocities or provide compensation for the families of civilians killed by government troops.
-VOA News
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
MTN closes in on Telecel
HARARE – Africa's leading mobile operator MTN has agreed to buy some of the assets of Egypt’s London Stock Exchange (LSE) listed telecommunications giant, Orascom, which include Telecel Zimbabwe and Burundi, a senior government official has said.
The possible inking of the agreement resulted in the LSE on Friday suspending Orascom Telecom Holding SAE's (ORSTF) shares from trading, pending the conclusion of the deal.
If successfully concluded MTN’s purchase of Orascom’s Zimbabwe assets will become the first major deal in the country involving foreign interests since announcement last February of controversial regulations to force foreign-owned firms to cede majority stake to local blacks.
The indigenisation regulations give foreign-owned firms up to May 15 to submit proposals on how they intended to offload 51 percent stake to indigenous Zimbabweans by March 2015.
Speaking on condition that his name was not published, a senior official from the Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), said at the weekend MTN would comply with the country’s indigenisation law.
"MTN will retain 49 percent in Zimbabwe, once the payment goes through to comply with POTRAZ," said the source, adding; "Under the deal, MTN has agreed to buy some of Orascom's operations in Zimbabwe and Burundi.
“The actual value of the deal could be as high as $10 billion if it goes through. This will also be good news to Zimbabwe given the problems that have been caused by the indigenisation and empowerment law."
MTN could not be reached for comment at the weekend.
Through its subsidiary Telecel Globe, OTH also operates in the Central African Republic, Namibia and Zimbabwe. Orascom Telecom had over 88 million subscribers as of September 2009.
MTN has vast business interests spanning across the continent and the Middle East.
Indigenisation Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has said the empowerment programme will first target the mining sector where some of the world’s biggest international corporations hold multi-million dollar investments.
According to Kasukuwere to date 400 firms have submitted empowerment proposals to his ministry.
The economic empowerment scheme has split the Harare coalition government with President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF party backing the plan.
But Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC party want the indigenisation programme stopped to allow for more consultation and drafting of new regulations that will not scare away foreign investors, while allowing for economic empowerment of the majority.
Large multinational corporations such as cigarette manufacturer BAT Zimbabwe, which is 80 percent British-owned, UK-controlled financial institutions Barclays Bank and Standard Chartered Bank, food group Nestlé Zimbabwe, mining giants Rio Tinto and Zimplats, and AON Insurance are some of the big foreign-owned firms that will be forced to cede control to locals.
– ZimOnline
The possible inking of the agreement resulted in the LSE on Friday suspending Orascom Telecom Holding SAE's (ORSTF) shares from trading, pending the conclusion of the deal.
If successfully concluded MTN’s purchase of Orascom’s Zimbabwe assets will become the first major deal in the country involving foreign interests since announcement last February of controversial regulations to force foreign-owned firms to cede majority stake to local blacks.
The indigenisation regulations give foreign-owned firms up to May 15 to submit proposals on how they intended to offload 51 percent stake to indigenous Zimbabweans by March 2015.
Speaking on condition that his name was not published, a senior official from the Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), said at the weekend MTN would comply with the country’s indigenisation law.
"MTN will retain 49 percent in Zimbabwe, once the payment goes through to comply with POTRAZ," said the source, adding; "Under the deal, MTN has agreed to buy some of Orascom's operations in Zimbabwe and Burundi.
“The actual value of the deal could be as high as $10 billion if it goes through. This will also be good news to Zimbabwe given the problems that have been caused by the indigenisation and empowerment law."
MTN could not be reached for comment at the weekend.
Through its subsidiary Telecel Globe, OTH also operates in the Central African Republic, Namibia and Zimbabwe. Orascom Telecom had over 88 million subscribers as of September 2009.
MTN has vast business interests spanning across the continent and the Middle East.
Indigenisation Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has said the empowerment programme will first target the mining sector where some of the world’s biggest international corporations hold multi-million dollar investments.
According to Kasukuwere to date 400 firms have submitted empowerment proposals to his ministry.
The economic empowerment scheme has split the Harare coalition government with President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF party backing the plan.
But Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC party want the indigenisation programme stopped to allow for more consultation and drafting of new regulations that will not scare away foreign investors, while allowing for economic empowerment of the majority.
Large multinational corporations such as cigarette manufacturer BAT Zimbabwe, which is 80 percent British-owned, UK-controlled financial institutions Barclays Bank and Standard Chartered Bank, food group Nestlé Zimbabwe, mining giants Rio Tinto and Zimplats, and AON Insurance are some of the big foreign-owned firms that will be forced to cede control to locals.
– ZimOnline
Friday, April 16, 2010
Zimbabwe's Daily News back on streets 'in weeks'
JETHRO Goko, the director of the Associated Newspaper of Zimbabwe (ANZ), publishers of the Daily News, has said they are hopeful that in the next few weeks there won’t be any excuse for not opening up the print media space completely in Zimbabwe, reports Violet Gonda for SW Radio Africa.
Goko told SW Radio Africa on Tuesday: “Lot’s of work is currently going on behind the scenes and we are ready to bring the print product onto the streets in Zimbabwe. What we are waiting for is just the licence disk to be displayed on our windscreen.”
The country’s only privately owned daily newspaper was forced to shut down seven years ago. The Daily News is now hoping for an operating licence from the new licensing authority - the Zimbabwe Media Commission.
Goko said a new look Daily News will have heavy weights on the team and at least 78 staff members, including journalists on the payroll.
Last month, the masthead of The Zimbabwe Times website, edited by veteran journalist Geoff Nyarota, was replaced by that of the Daily News. A statement on the site said; “Finishing touches are currently being put to a brand new and exciting The Daily News domain. It has been created in anticipation of the much anticipated relaxation of the current media landscape, which is a key and necessary precursor to any meaningful democratic transition in Zimbabwe.”
The government is being criticized for delaying the implementation of media reforms as the inclusive government has been in ‘operation’ for over a year and yet there is still no privately owned daily newspaper registered in Zimbabwe and no licenses have been issued for the independent electronic media.
The newly appointed ZMC only started operating in March 2010, after a delay of over a year in appointing the Commission.
Goko told SW Radio Africa on Tuesday: “Lot’s of work is currently going on behind the scenes and we are ready to bring the print product onto the streets in Zimbabwe. What we are waiting for is just the licence disk to be displayed on our windscreen.”
The country’s only privately owned daily newspaper was forced to shut down seven years ago. The Daily News is now hoping for an operating licence from the new licensing authority - the Zimbabwe Media Commission.
Goko said a new look Daily News will have heavy weights on the team and at least 78 staff members, including journalists on the payroll.
Last month, the masthead of The Zimbabwe Times website, edited by veteran journalist Geoff Nyarota, was replaced by that of the Daily News. A statement on the site said; “Finishing touches are currently being put to a brand new and exciting The Daily News domain. It has been created in anticipation of the much anticipated relaxation of the current media landscape, which is a key and necessary precursor to any meaningful democratic transition in Zimbabwe.”
The government is being criticized for delaying the implementation of media reforms as the inclusive government has been in ‘operation’ for over a year and yet there is still no privately owned daily newspaper registered in Zimbabwe and no licenses have been issued for the independent electronic media.
The newly appointed ZMC only started operating in March 2010, after a delay of over a year in appointing the Commission.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Malema is crazy
At a time when Zimbabwe is in the process of national healing after a decade long impasse, the last thing the country can afford is another Chenjarai Hunzvi (may his soul rest in peace).
Hunzvi pioneered the land grabs that resulted in the racist motivated deaths of white farmers and his uncircumcised lips full of hate speech gave birth to a raucous band of war veterans who soon became a law unto themselves- threatening to seize all foreign owned companies.
Soon the desperate ZANU PF government was like a puppet on a string. Ministers like Aeneas Chigwedere advocated for a name change for all schools that had colonial names. City buildings and streets that whose names could be traced to Britain-the colonial ruler were also to be changed. This was literally rewriting history. Eveline Girls High School in Bulawayo was going to be named after the late Joseph Musika.
Now Hunzvi is gone and there remains some overzealous elements both in government and ZANU PF that stop at nothing in their quest to remain in power. How does one explain the purpose of the visit to Harare by South Africa's ANC Youth Wing dunderhead Leader, Julius Malema during the Easter holidays?
Malema jetted into Zimbabwe just weeks after his country's President, Jacob Gedleihlekisa Zuma had met leaders of Zimbabwe's compromise government so as to iron out outstanding differences. While Zuma awaits progress reports on the negotiations, the dull and foul mouthed Malema jets into the country apparently to learn from Zimbabwe on how nationalization is done. It can't a coincidence that Zimbabwe currently has an Indeginasation bill in parliament that the opposition and the industry don't support.
His presence in the country has poured water on Zuma's efforts much to the delight of ZANU PF opportunists. It is therefore not surprising that Malema was welcomed at Harare International Airport by a band of ZANU PF youths and thugs singing the "kill the Boer" song that Malema was banned from singing in South Africa.
Following weeks of tension in South Africa as a result of Malema's inflamatory, politically naive decisions and stupid comments, Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) leader Eugene Terre'Blanche was hacked to death at his farm in what is clearly a murder incited by his "kill the Boer" song. While denying that he incited the death of Terre'Blanche, Malema said; "I started singing this song when i was nine years old. I don't know why Terre'Blanche was not killed at that time."
Hunzvi pioneered the land grabs that resulted in the racist motivated deaths of white farmers and his uncircumcised lips full of hate speech gave birth to a raucous band of war veterans who soon became a law unto themselves- threatening to seize all foreign owned companies.
Soon the desperate ZANU PF government was like a puppet on a string. Ministers like Aeneas Chigwedere advocated for a name change for all schools that had colonial names. City buildings and streets that whose names could be traced to Britain-the colonial ruler were also to be changed. This was literally rewriting history. Eveline Girls High School in Bulawayo was going to be named after the late Joseph Musika.
Now Hunzvi is gone and there remains some overzealous elements both in government and ZANU PF that stop at nothing in their quest to remain in power. How does one explain the purpose of the visit to Harare by South Africa's ANC Youth Wing dunderhead Leader, Julius Malema during the Easter holidays?
Malema jetted into Zimbabwe just weeks after his country's President, Jacob Gedleihlekisa Zuma had met leaders of Zimbabwe's compromise government so as to iron out outstanding differences. While Zuma awaits progress reports on the negotiations, the dull and foul mouthed Malema jets into the country apparently to learn from Zimbabwe on how nationalization is done. It can't a coincidence that Zimbabwe currently has an Indeginasation bill in parliament that the opposition and the industry don't support.
His presence in the country has poured water on Zuma's efforts much to the delight of ZANU PF opportunists. It is therefore not surprising that Malema was welcomed at Harare International Airport by a band of ZANU PF youths and thugs singing the "kill the Boer" song that Malema was banned from singing in South Africa.
Following weeks of tension in South Africa as a result of Malema's inflamatory, politically naive decisions and stupid comments, Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) leader Eugene Terre'Blanche was hacked to death at his farm in what is clearly a murder incited by his "kill the Boer" song. While denying that he incited the death of Terre'Blanche, Malema said; "I started singing this song when i was nine years old. I don't know why Terre'Blanche was not killed at that time."
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Bennett faces fresh charge
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)treasurer-general and deputy Agriculture minister-designate, Senator Roy Bennett was yesterday summoned to appear at the Chipinge Magistrates’ Court on a nine year old charge that he hoarded maize. This has been seen by critics as frantic efforts by ZANU PF to prevent the politician from assuming his office in government as the terrorism trial teeters on verge of collapse.
Bennett was served with the papers as he was entering the High Court Wednesday, where he was standing trial on charges of banditry, insurgency and terrorism.
The papers, from the Attorney General's office, advised him to appear at the Chipinge Magistrates’ Court next Tuesday on charges that he breached the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) Act in 2001 for hoarding 92 tonnes of maize. The maize was produce from his Charleswood Estate in Chimanimani.
At the High Court today, Justice Muchineripi Bhunu postponed judgement to May 10 in his long running terrorism trial. He also suspended his bail conditions to the same date.
Justice Bhunu also ruled that Sen. Bennett could access his passport from the Clerk of Court if he wanted to go on a business trip outside the country.
Bennett returned to Zimbabwe in January 2009 after spending nearly two years in exile in South Africa. The MDC's treasurer-general was arrested in February last year, accused of plotting against President Mugabe's government.
The charges were that he illegally possessed arms for the purposes of committing terrorism and banditry. Bennett denies the charges, which carry a possible death sentence.
On May 10, the High Court will make a decision whether he will be put on his defence over the charges.
Justice Bhunu will rule on an application for discharge lodged by the defence team at the close of the State case three weeks that the State had failed to establish a prima facie case that Bennett plotted to assassinate President Robert Mugabe in 2006.
The prosecution, led by Attorney General (AG) Johannes Tomana, has vehemently opposed the application for discharge insisting it had placed enough evidence before the court to prove that Bennett had a case to answer.
Tomana says the fact that Bennett fled to South Africa in 2006 showed that he had a case to answer.
But Bennett says he could not stomach going to prison again after he was sentenced to 12 months in jail for shoving the Justice minister in Parliament.In 2004 Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told Bennett in parliament his Charleswood Estate in Chimanimani would be taken by the government and resettled.
Chinamasa called Bennett's forefathers "thieves and murderers", saying he deserved to lose his farm after benefiting from a British colonial system that robbed black Zimbabweans of their land. In the heat of the argument, Bennett pushed the minister to the ground.
The MDC said Wednesday it viewed the latest charge on Hon Bennett as a contrived political plot to haunt him and prevent him from taking up his post as deputy minister of Agriculture.
Zimbabwe Reporter quoted an MDC official saying the latest charge on Bennett "is the height of persecution of a man whose only crime is that he is white and he is MDC."
Just last Friday, state security agents blocked Sen. Bennett and his wife, Heather from proceeding to Charleswood Estate despite being granted permission to collect his personal property including the remains of his father.
"Attorney-General Johannes Tomana has once again proved why he is an outstanding issue," the MDC spokesman said. "His blatant abuse of office to persecute an innocent man has reached ridiculous heights and there is no wonder why there is a national call for him to be investigated for abuse of office."
- Simbarashe Nembaware and Zimbabwe Reporter
Bennett was served with the papers as he was entering the High Court Wednesday, where he was standing trial on charges of banditry, insurgency and terrorism.
The papers, from the Attorney General's office, advised him to appear at the Chipinge Magistrates’ Court next Tuesday on charges that he breached the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) Act in 2001 for hoarding 92 tonnes of maize. The maize was produce from his Charleswood Estate in Chimanimani.
At the High Court today, Justice Muchineripi Bhunu postponed judgement to May 10 in his long running terrorism trial. He also suspended his bail conditions to the same date.
Justice Bhunu also ruled that Sen. Bennett could access his passport from the Clerk of Court if he wanted to go on a business trip outside the country.
Bennett returned to Zimbabwe in January 2009 after spending nearly two years in exile in South Africa. The MDC's treasurer-general was arrested in February last year, accused of plotting against President Mugabe's government.
The charges were that he illegally possessed arms for the purposes of committing terrorism and banditry. Bennett denies the charges, which carry a possible death sentence.
On May 10, the High Court will make a decision whether he will be put on his defence over the charges.
Justice Bhunu will rule on an application for discharge lodged by the defence team at the close of the State case three weeks that the State had failed to establish a prima facie case that Bennett plotted to assassinate President Robert Mugabe in 2006.
The prosecution, led by Attorney General (AG) Johannes Tomana, has vehemently opposed the application for discharge insisting it had placed enough evidence before the court to prove that Bennett had a case to answer.
Tomana says the fact that Bennett fled to South Africa in 2006 showed that he had a case to answer.
But Bennett says he could not stomach going to prison again after he was sentenced to 12 months in jail for shoving the Justice minister in Parliament.In 2004 Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told Bennett in parliament his Charleswood Estate in Chimanimani would be taken by the government and resettled.
Chinamasa called Bennett's forefathers "thieves and murderers", saying he deserved to lose his farm after benefiting from a British colonial system that robbed black Zimbabweans of their land. In the heat of the argument, Bennett pushed the minister to the ground.
The MDC said Wednesday it viewed the latest charge on Hon Bennett as a contrived political plot to haunt him and prevent him from taking up his post as deputy minister of Agriculture.
Zimbabwe Reporter quoted an MDC official saying the latest charge on Bennett "is the height of persecution of a man whose only crime is that he is white and he is MDC."
Just last Friday, state security agents blocked Sen. Bennett and his wife, Heather from proceeding to Charleswood Estate despite being granted permission to collect his personal property including the remains of his father.
"Attorney-General Johannes Tomana has once again proved why he is an outstanding issue," the MDC spokesman said. "His blatant abuse of office to persecute an innocent man has reached ridiculous heights and there is no wonder why there is a national call for him to be investigated for abuse of office."
- Simbarashe Nembaware and Zimbabwe Reporter
Monday, March 29, 2010
Police Raids Bulawayo Art Gallery
Zimbabwe's disregard of basic human rights such as freedom of speech and freedom of association was again put to the fore on Friday when heavily armed anti riot police raided the Bulawayo Art Gallery and arrested Owen Maseko the organiser of the Gukurahundi exhibition which was going on.
Maseko a solo-artist had organized a two day event to exhibit pictures of the Gukurahundi massacres. The exhibition which kicked off on Thursday at the Bulawayo Art gallery showcased pictures of the victims, relatives and those of the disused mines where bodies of the victims were dumped by Five Brigade soldiers.
Maseko’s lawyer Kucaca Phulu of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said a group of armed police raided the Bulawayo Art Gallery along Main Street early morning, soon after opening and confiscated pictures before arresting his client.
“Police in riot gear arrived early in the morning at the gallery and told everybody present to disperse before they confiscated exhibition pictures and arrested Maseko”.
“He is still detained at Bulawayo Central police station and will go to court on Monday, but we are still trying to make an urgent High Court application for his release before that day and also for police to return the pictures,” said Phulu.
Phulu said this shows that “there is still no rule of law and no freedom expression in the country even after the formation of the inclusive government. Zanu PF is still sending police to terrorize citizens”.
The raid of Bulawayo Art Gallery and arrest of Maseko came just 24 hours after truckloads of police swooped down on Harare Art gallery and removed the pictures displayed by the Zimbabwe Human Rights (ZimRights).
The exhibition was part of a growing campaign by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC and human rights activists to publicize a history of violence against the MDC over the last decade.
In 1982, President Mugabe’s Zanu-PF in pursuit of a one party state sought help from North Korea to train the infamous Five Brigade soldiers. The brigade was deployed in the Midlands and Matabeleland regions in an operation code named Gukurahundi.
For about five years, the Five Brigade massacred innocent civilians using the propaganda excuse that there had been insurgency in the Zapu strongholds. Innocent civilians estimated at up to 20 000 were killed while thousands disappeared. They were buried in mass graves while some thrown in disused mines.
The move was designed to force Mugabe and his cohorts to acknowledge hundreds of murders and thousands of cases of torture, arson and looting of MDC supporters, ending the immunity the perpetrators have enjoyed.
Lawyers say only a handful of perpetrators of those crimes have been prosecuted, despite researchers having compiled detailed reports of thousands of incidents, and handing them to authorities. The MDC is demanding a truth and reconciliation commission, but Mugabe insists that bygones are bygones.
- Simbarashe Nembaware and RadioVop Zimbabwe
Maseko a solo-artist had organized a two day event to exhibit pictures of the Gukurahundi massacres. The exhibition which kicked off on Thursday at the Bulawayo Art gallery showcased pictures of the victims, relatives and those of the disused mines where bodies of the victims were dumped by Five Brigade soldiers.
Maseko’s lawyer Kucaca Phulu of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said a group of armed police raided the Bulawayo Art Gallery along Main Street early morning, soon after opening and confiscated pictures before arresting his client.
“Police in riot gear arrived early in the morning at the gallery and told everybody present to disperse before they confiscated exhibition pictures and arrested Maseko”.
“He is still detained at Bulawayo Central police station and will go to court on Monday, but we are still trying to make an urgent High Court application for his release before that day and also for police to return the pictures,” said Phulu.
Phulu said this shows that “there is still no rule of law and no freedom expression in the country even after the formation of the inclusive government. Zanu PF is still sending police to terrorize citizens”.
The raid of Bulawayo Art Gallery and arrest of Maseko came just 24 hours after truckloads of police swooped down on Harare Art gallery and removed the pictures displayed by the Zimbabwe Human Rights (ZimRights).
The exhibition was part of a growing campaign by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC and human rights activists to publicize a history of violence against the MDC over the last decade.
In 1982, President Mugabe’s Zanu-PF in pursuit of a one party state sought help from North Korea to train the infamous Five Brigade soldiers. The brigade was deployed in the Midlands and Matabeleland regions in an operation code named Gukurahundi.
For about five years, the Five Brigade massacred innocent civilians using the propaganda excuse that there had been insurgency in the Zapu strongholds. Innocent civilians estimated at up to 20 000 were killed while thousands disappeared. They were buried in mass graves while some thrown in disused mines.
The move was designed to force Mugabe and his cohorts to acknowledge hundreds of murders and thousands of cases of torture, arson and looting of MDC supporters, ending the immunity the perpetrators have enjoyed.
Lawyers say only a handful of perpetrators of those crimes have been prosecuted, despite researchers having compiled detailed reports of thousands of incidents, and handing them to authorities. The MDC is demanding a truth and reconciliation commission, but Mugabe insists that bygones are bygones.
- Simbarashe Nembaware and RadioVop Zimbabwe
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