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African Commission adopts strong critical resolution on Zimbabwe
Intense lobbying by human rights organizations and individuals seems to have paid off. Meeting at their 38th Ordinary Session in Banjul, the Gambia from November to December, The African Commission on Human and People’s Rights adopted a resolution on Zimbabwe which Arnold Tsunga, Executive Director of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights described as one of the most critical resolutions on Zimbabwe. |
Malawi cooperating with Zimbabwe to block refugees seeking safe haven
Zimbabweans have been acquiring passports from Malawi for a long time now because the process was simple and success was almost always guaranteed. And as the economic and political crisis in Zimbabwe has dragged on for years now, the Malawi route had become an oasis for many trying to escape to South Africa or across the oceans to Europe and America. |
Immigration giving Majongwe the run around over seized passport
Activist, poet and secretary general of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, Raymond Majongwe is still without a passport after state agents seized it from him at Harare Airport earlier this month. |
Lack of amenities forces ZANU-PF beneficiaries to leave Hopley Farm
Most of the people who were allocated stands and houses at hopley farm recently during the visit by Young have started complaining of the poor living conditions at the holding camp. |
Economic crisis will force Mugabe
Zimbabwe’s opposition has called on its supporters to confront Robert Mugabe’s regime in the New Year arguing this was the only feasible way of removing him from power. |
Vetting of deportees from South Africa expected to last a week
There are fears government will take up to a week to clear most of the 160 deportees who were flown from South Africa on Wednesday. Although the majority of the people are women and children, the government insists a security check be carried out to ascertain if all those returned were not fugitives who ran away from the authorities. |
Zanu (PF) stooge blocking asylum applications in South Africa
Activists based in South Africa are furious that a top official working on cases of Zimbabwe asylum seekers is in fact a sympathiser of Robert Mugabe. The official, who himself was granted refugee status after fleeing from the DRC, allegedly regards Mugabe as his hero for intervening to save the collapse of the Kinshasa government after it had been invaded by Rwandan and Ugandan forces. |
Preparations for MDC congress on schedule despite split
A top official in the MDC has claimed that, efforts to destroy the opposition party, by the Zanu (PF) government, has failed. Sekai Holland, Head of a policy and ideology review committee, set up to bring peace in the party, said Zanu (PF) had used internal forces within the MDC structures to try and crush the party, which unfortunately failed to materialise. |
Is Zimbabwe a military state as most analysts point out
There are fears that the military in the country could be pulling the strings into the way the government is being run. With almost every important parastetal now being run by former soldiers, analysts were quick to draw a conclusion that the country was now under military rule. But a retired former soldier said Zimbabwe is under a civilian government, but whose many policies, are being implemented by senior army officers.
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Shortage of bank notes ensures bleak Christmas
A crippling shortage of bank notes ensured a miserable Christmas for most Zimbabweans as banks struggled to meet customer withdrawals over the festive period. |
Zimbabwe detains 160 deportees from South Africa
State radio reported that 160 Zimbabweans deported from South Africa are in detention pending interrogations by Zimbabwean authorities. |
MDC invites diaspora to contribute
The so-called brain drain that has hit Zimbabwe in the last few years has taken away most of the country’s skilled professionals and left a vacuum that has had devastating effects on all sectors. |
Football revision
In our last story Tichaona reviews footballing events of 2005 with soccer organizer Mike Makope. They will also look at the first major event of 2006, the Nations Cup Finals in Egypt, in early January as well discuss the current happenings in the English Premiership league. |
Issue of legitimacy remains as Tsvangirai is expelled
Officials in the pro-senate camp of the MDC announced they had expelled the party’s president Morgan Tsvangirai over the weekend. The action was taken on Saturday by a disciplinary committee comprised of members from the pro-senate faction led by secretary general Welshman Ncube. The opposition has split into 2 factions, both of which are claiming to be the legitimate MDC. The same committee suspended Tsvangirai earlier...... |
VOP director speaks on arrest
The VOP radio station director, John Masuku who was released on Z$4 million bail after police launched a crackdown on his station has told Newsreel of his ordeal at the hands of the police. |
| Heavy police presence kills holiday spiritThe presence of uniformed police on all major roads leading into the capital and in the central business district has defined the mood of this year’s holiday season. Harare residents told us they feel as though they are living in a military state. |
Rains come, but hunger, looting and ethnic cleansing continue..
The rains that have pelted Zimbabwe for the last few days would normally have brought much joy to those growing food on the commercial farms and on little plots along the roadsides around the country, but for many this year, they have brought little benefit. |
National soccer squad named
The national soccer team is expected to leave the country for France in two weeks time for a training session before heading to Egypt via Tunisia for Nations Cup finals.Coach Charles Mhlauri on Monday released the names of a 30-man squad that would be trimmed to 23 before the Warriors jet out of the country. |
Hotseat
Morgan Tsvangirai has spoken out over accusations by his colleagues that he is engaged in diversionary tactics to hide his failures as head of the opposition party. |
Test for media laws
The Executive Director of VOP radio, John Masuku who was arrested Monday after handing himself over to police, is set to appear in court on Wednesday morning. |
Thousands stuck at Beitbridge
Traffic continues to be gridlocked at the Beitbridge border post as hundreds of thousands of people flock home for Christmas. They are all coming from South Africa and travelling to their respective homes. |
Bread goes stale in Bulawayo
Supermarkets in Bulawayo who were hoping to maximise their profits by ordering huge quantities of bread pending a price increase have been left stunned by the sight of stale bread on their shelves. |
Zimbabweans on the festive season
Christmas is only a few days away, but for most Zimbabweans, the festive period will pass as a non-event as many are struggling to grapple with the economic crisis, that has reduced many to begging. Most people would be trapped in their own homes, not by force but through lack of resources to plan for anything worth celebrating. |
MDC Restructuring
The crisis-ridden opposition party is in the process of restructuring the party’s 12 provinces ahead of a National Congress scheduled for February. The outspoken MDC official and commercial farmer Roy Bennett was at the weekend elected Provincial Chairman for Manicaland at a regional congress attended by over 850 delegates. |
VOP Radio Director arrested
The Executive Director for Voice of the People radio station, John Masuku was arrested by police at 11am on Monday. On a day in which public prosecutors ordered the release of three female journalists from VOP after 5 days in detention, Masuku and Board Chairperson David Masunda handed themselves over to the police. |
| Dispute over recent suspensions intensifies split within the opposition Conflicting statements have again come from the two camps of the now divided opposition party, this time over recent suspensions of pro-senate leaders and officials. |
| MDC activist released from Jail in SA The fiery activist was arrested last week Tuesday for allegedly using false documents. But in his first interview after the release, Remember Moyo said his arrest was as a result of an administrative issue. |
UN Security Council briefed on worsening crisis in Zimbabwe
Jan Egeland, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, told the UN Security Council that the situation in Southern Africa, particularly in Zimbabwe and Malawi would deteriorate in 2006, unless actions are taken to meet immediate needs to reverse the decline in key sectors. |
Cricket chief says action can be taken against Zim
International Cricket Council president Ehsan Mani insists the world governing body will not shirk from making tough decisions over the status of Zimbabwe. |
Happy B/day SWRA
Monday the 19 th December is a special day for SW Radio Africa as it was four years ago today that we started broadcasting to Zimbabwe.
It had been a hard slog to get the radio station up and running after its predecessor Capital Radio was shut down by armed police in Harare. |
| Three journalists arrested and charged The journalists from independent radio station, VOP were arrested by police during a raid on their offices on Thursday. |
| Police auction stolen farm equipment The Masvingo Farm Equipment and Materials Committee was ordered on Tuesday .. |
MDC activist on hunger strike
Detained militant activist Remember Moyo has gone on a hunger strike... |
Mugabe cancelled in Malaysia
A paper by Robert Mugabe entitled: Horrors Of Civil War: An African Perspective,suffered a setback... |
British MPs on asylum seekers
Zimbabwean asylum seekers in the U.K. who are struggling to survive as they are not allowed to work ... |
| Tidal wave of repression
John Makumbe has warned that the events of the past week, where the government seized passports... |
Security services raid VOP
A Zimbabwean news website Zim-Daily reports that Central Intelligence operatives raided the Harare offices of Voice of the People (VOP)... |
Asylum seekers in UK
The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal has refused the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship... |
Gukurahundi victims ready
Human rights activists and genocide survivors around the world have hailed... |
| Tidal wave of repression
An outspoken political analyst has warned that the events of the past week, where the government seized passports from several critics, is an indication of more repressive measures to come. |
Fears grow of SA security collusion
Militant MDC activist in Johannesburg, Remember Moyo was picked up by the South African police on Tuesday in a move that has been strongly linked with a security and defence pact signed between Zimbabwe and South Africa. |
Poisonous Zim peanut butter
A national food alert has been triggered in the United Kingdom after an Environmental Health worker in Luton discovered poisonous peanut butter in Zimbabwean shops. |
Majongwe speaks on passport
“They can keep it since they took it illegally, and I will not go to court to legitimise their actions”. These were the words of Raymond Majongwe, secretary general of The Progressive Teachers Union, activist and poet. |
Security services raid VOP
A Zimbabwean news website Zim-Daily reports that Central Intelligence operatives raided the Harare offices of Voice of the People (VOP)... |
Asylum seekers in UK
The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal has refused the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality permission... |
Gukurahundi victims ready to testify
Human rights activists and genocide survivors around the world have hailed the continued arrest of war criminals who had been in hiding in other countries. |
| UK remains Zimbabwe's major trading partner Zimbabwe's hypocrisy in its economic dealings came to the fore when its very own Central Statistical Office (CSO) admitted South Africa and Britain remain its major trading partners. |
Travel ban shambles
The controversial passport seizures by the Zimbabwean authorities reached new heights on Wednesday when on one hand they returned the passport.... |
Gono appeal to save agriculture
The Zim Online news site has reported that Zimbabwe's central bank governor Gideon Gono wrote to Robert Mugabe... |
| Court orders Masvingo police to return stolen farm equipment White commercial farmers in Masvingo won a court battle Tuesday in which they were contesting the illegal seizure of equipment from their properties. |
SWRA launches end of year awards
For the first time ever our listeners will be able to vote for various categories in our inaugural SWRA end of year awards. |
Army general's threats signal fear of revolt
The Defence spokesman in the opposition, Giles Mutsekwa, has said things are falling apart in Zimbabwe’s army. He was responding to threats made by senior Army General Martin Chedondo, who told graduates at a pass out parade in Gweru that it was “treasonous” for any true Zimbabwean soldier to support Morgan Tsvangirai. |
ZBC's bogus student leader
Student leaders at the University of Zimbabwe are up in arms over what they allege was a deliberate ploy by state broadcaster (ZBC) to give 10 minutes airtime on the main news bulletin to a bogus student leader who criticised UN envoy Jan Egeland. |
Malawi leader gets protection from Zimbabwean agents
Robert Mugabe appears to be strengthening his alliance with the Malawi president Bingu wa Mutharika, and Malawi is rife with rumours that 8 security agents from Zimbabwe have been hired to guard the presidential palace and other properties in Lilongwe....... |
MDC Harare Congress recommends new constitution
The Movement for Democratic Change’s Harare province on Saturday unanimously recommended that the party draw up a new constitution that will not be abused to suit the needs of a selected few...... |
Vehicles for Senators
The Daily Mirror newspaper reports that the clerk of Parliament Austin Zvoma said on Monday that a fund set up to provide Senators with official vehicle loans is inadequate..... |
A Zimbabwean's day in Botswana
It is 10 o’clock in the morning. I am in Francistown, Botswana’s second largest city, named after miner and explorer, Daniel Francis. I decide to visit the main post office to post money home. Inside the post office ...... |
Tsvangirai calls for a single front
The struggle in Zimbabwe for true independence and democracy has so far been a fragmented effort that has failed to gain momentum and public support enough to dislodge the government of Robert Mugabe. |
Five WOZA women arrested
The arrests in Harare took place on Saturday during a protest march commemorating International Human Rights Day. The women had gathered at Fourth Street in the city centre and were headed for Nelson Mandela Avenue when police intercepted the procession. |
Robert Mugabe blasts farm thieves
Robert Mugabe blasted officials within the ruling party who have been grabbing farms illegally. His words sounded empty to Zimbabweans because none of the perpetrators have been prosecuted, and the recent farm evictions have been done by top officials using the local police and state agents. |
| Trevor Ncube has his passport seized on arrival in Zimbabwe It has been an eventful week for the owner of the South African Mail and Guardian and Zimbabwe’s Standard and Independent Trevor Ncube. |
| MDC provincial congress The MDC, still suffering from the senate election fiasco, is moving fast to reinvigorate its party structures starting this weekend with provincial congresses for Harare and Chitungwiza provinces |
| Groundwork set for Mugabe prosecution in International Courts Another voice has been added to the existing chorus of calls for the prosecution of Robert Mugabe and his ruling elite in the International courts. On Wednesday, the United Nations humanitarian aid chief Jan Egeland said Zimbabwean officials should be prosecuted for crimes committed... |
Cricket crisis yet to be resolved
Former cricket captain Tatenda Taibu and Phil Simmons, the deposed coach who claimed in court that his dismissal was unconstitutional, could be reinstated if attempts to overthrow .. |
Calls for Mahoso to step down
The international media watchdog Reporters Without Borders has called for the resignation of Dr. Tafataona Mahoso, head of the Media and.. |
| UN offer of tents for homeless demolition victims On Tuesday, Robert Mugabe turned down an offer by the United Nations to supply tents for the thousands made homeless by his so-called cleanup operation Murambatsvina. |
| ZANU PF or death choice for hungry Villagers in Tsholotsho in Matebeleland North have told us how they were forced to vote Zanu (PF) in the just ended Senate elections. Officials told the villagers that voting for the MDC was like choosing starvation and death. |
Government expands list
The online website NewZimbabwe.com reported Tuesday that the government had expanded its list of citizens banned from Zimbabwe. On the list are people perceived to be critics of the Mugabe regime and those viewed as threats to the country's "national interest". |
UN Envoy evaluating Muramabtsvina damage in Bulawayo
The UN under-secretary general for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Co-ordinator has since Monday been touring areas that the government destroyed last May under the controversial clean-up campaign, Operation Murambatsvina. |
High Court hearing
The pro-senate faction of the MDC has appealed to the high court to stop party president Morgan Tsvangirai from performing his duties until their disciplinary committee makes a final decision. |
UN Envoy witnesses squalid living conditions at Hatcliffe camp
A top UN official visited the Hatcliffe informal settlement outside Harare and walked through mud... |
Floods leave hundreds homeless
Flash floods brought by heavy downpour of rain this past weekend left hundreds of villagers homeless... |
Opposition MP assaulted at rally
Mabvuku MP Timothy Mubhawu was assaulted by party youths at a weekend rally in Highfields, Harare. |
Archbishop to be sole judge in delayed Kunonga trial
By-passing canon law, the Archbishop of Central Africa Bernard Malango has said he will not appoint a judge... |
Hospitals in chaos
As the healthcare system in the country continues to deteriorate without any solutions in sight... |
Five AIDS activists arrested
The police had initially cleared the event to take place at the Africa Unity Square but made a u-turn upon seeing the growing crowd and that various other organisations joined in. |
Two villagers die of hunger
Hunger is reported to have killed women in drought stricken southern Matebeleland. According to villagers the latest deaths occurred at Nswazi village about 65km south of Bulawayo. |
Chingoka & Bvute disappearance?
Police have issued warrants of arrest against Zimbabwe Cricket President Peter Chingoka and Managing Director Osias Bvute who disappeared overnight following police raids to their homes. |
Prices rocket after senate elections
The price of basic commodities has shot up soon after the end of the controversial senate elections. In the run up to the poll government is said to have kept a tight leash on prices only to let go soon after the election. Some of the products to go up include Baby foods, meat and potatoes. |
MDC national council
It has now become a game of tug of war between the warring factions in the troubled MDC. Paul Temba Nyathi has been fired as party spokesman while Vice President Gibson Sibanda has also been relieved of his duties as chairman of the Disciplinary Committee. |
World AIDS Day
Around the world, December 1st is designated as World AIDS Day, and it is set aside as a time to remember friends and relatives lost to AIDS, take stock of the lessons learned over the year, and to review any progress towards stemming the tide of this challenging affliction. |
POSA challenge thrown out
An application by MDC Makokoba MP, Thokozani Khupe who was challenging aspects of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) has been thrown out. Judges Misheck Cheda, Luke Malaba and Francis Bere sat in their Bulawayo chambers to hear Khupe’s application which sought to order that the holding of private meetings could not constitute a crime. |
2006 national budget criticised
The government has predicted the country’s economy is set to grow next year for the first time since 1999 on the back of an expected turnaround in the agricultural sector. |
Senators sworn in
After much attrition in the opposition over whether to participate in senate elections or not, the winning senators were sworn into parliament on Wednesday. A boycott by the Movement for Democratic Change handed Zanu PF a majority of 59 out of 66 upper house seats. |
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