Police bar Jonathan Moyo's UPM party rally in Zvishavane

By Lance Guma
13 January 2006

Fledgling political party, the United Peoples Movement (UPM) has been on the receiving end of some of the laws its founder, Professor Jonathan Moyo helped create. Police, using the Public Order and Security Act (POSA), refused to authorise a planned UPM rally in Zvishavane. The party was seeking to rally support for an independent candidate running in local government elections set for this weekend.

Former Zanu PF Central Committee Member Pearson Mbalekwa, who was at one time Member of Parliament for the area, told us the behaviour of the police was disgraceful. They were told UPM had not been officially launched as a party and up until that time it cannot hold any rallies. Mbalekwa said there was no such law in Zimbabwe.

He accused the police of unprofessional conduct after they twice denied them permission to hold the rally. They wanted to hold the meeting Wednesday only to be told the venue was booked. After resubmitting their application, which changed the date to Friday, they were then told to have the party launched first. Former information Minister, Jonathan Moyo left Zanu PF after a fallout over his running as an independent candidate in the Tsholotsho constituency and has since been trying to woo disgruntled members from both Zanu PF and the MDC.

Moyo has convinced Pearson Mbalekwa to join UPM and interestingly, Mbalekwa is a cousin to Zanu PF heavyweight Emmerson Mnangagwa, the alleged chief conspirator of the so called ‘Tsholotsho Coup’.

Runaway inflation

By Tichaona Sibanda
13 January 2006

Analysts have warned that runaway inflation could prove the key to unlocking Robert Mugabe’s decades-long grip on power. Lower-ranking soldiers and police are finding it hard to survive on a rapidly depreciating Zimbabwe dollar and are becoming increasingly unhappy with the situation.
ZimOnline reported on Friday that Mugabe, in power since founding independent Zimbabwe from a British colony in 1980, has commanded unquestioned loyalty from the security forces. This has enabled him to use them to regularly crush dissent and any challenge to his rule.

University of Zimbabwe political scientist Eldred Masunungure is quoted by Zimonline as saying discord between poorly paid foot soldiers and police on one hand and their well-fed commanders on the other would threaten social stability and if unchecked could lead to the unthinkable happening, a mutiny by the security forces against Mugabe’s command.

After the government this month awarded all its workers, including the security services, a 231 percent salary increase, a junior soldier or police officer will now earn about Z$7 million per month.
The new pay for soldiers and police officers falls far below the poverty datum line (PDL) - the minimum amount of money an average family of a mother, father and three children requires for basic goods and services per month. According to the government's Central Statistical Office the PDL is now $17.2 million or more than twice what junior police officers and soldiers earn.
In December inflation rose to 585.8 percent, one of the highest rates in the world, and it’s expected to rise even higher in 2006.

Husband and Wife die of hunger in Esigodini

From Themba Nkosi in Esigodini
13 January 2006

Hunger has claimed another life in drought stricken Matabeleland South province.The latest death occured at Vulindlela village about 65 km south-east of Bulawayo in Nswazi reserve.

According to health officials at Esigodini, the latest victim, Lyzie Moyo died of severe malnutrition after failing to get food. The woman’s death comes five weeks after her husband, Sinini Ncube died of starvation.

Villagers at Nswazi blamed the woman’s death on ZANU-PF and village heads who deny suspected opposition supporters food.

The people of Nswazi which falls under Umzingwane constituency, are facing serious food shortages. They have not received relief food since August last year. A senior official of Umzingwane Rural District Council said that people were dying in the rural areas because of dirty politics practised by government, ruling party officials and councillors.

The official who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal said hundreds of villagers in Umzingwane were starvingNcube and his wife did not get any assistance from the social welfare department and he was a known member of the MDC. Lyzie Moyo was buried at her village Friday. Church leaders from Bulawayo paid for the funeral expenses.

According to the Mzingwane Rural District Council more than 200 000 people in the constituency urgently need food supplies. Nswazi, which is one of the worst affected villages, is the rural home of Matabeleland South Governor, Angeline Masuku. The Governor could not be reached for comment.