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Continued detention of student leaders challenged in High Court
Lawyers representing six student leaders arrested on Monday for leading a demonstration against tuition fee hikes at the University of Zimbabwe have approached the High Court seeking their urgent release. |
Farcical start to V.O.P. trial
David Masunda, Arnold Tsumba, Lawrence Chibwe, Nhlanhla Ngwenya, Millie Phiri and Isabella Matambanadzo are facing charges of contravening the Broadcasting Act. Under Zimbabwean laws seen as draconian by journalists, radio stations have to get licences before they can broadcast anything. |
A1 settlers re-selling grain donated by NGOs in Chiredzi
The profits being made by some A1 settlers who are selling grain in Chiredzi are staggering, but what is even more staggering is that the grain they are selling is donated by Non-Governmental Organisations. |
Mutumwa Mawere claims penury
The South African based businessman continues his campaign to expose how his business empire has been systematically destroyed and sold off by the Zimbabwean government. |
Opening day protests at University of Zimbabwe lead to six arrests
Six student leaders from the University of Zimbabwe were arrested on Monday after leading a demonstration on the opening day of the new semester. |
Tsvangirai faction dismisses MDC pro-senate congress
The MDC faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai has dismissed the congress held in Bulawayo this weekend by the pro-senate group as just a private meeting of individuals who do not represent the MDC. |
MDC mediator Brian Raftopoulos welcomes the Mutambara factor
In the aftermath of the congress by the MDC pro-senate faction which took place in Bulawayo this past weekend, political analyst and MDC advisor Brian Raftopoulos said the election of former student leader Arthur Mutambara as leader of the pro-senate camp is a positive development. |
Pro-senate MDC goes to congress
All roads are leading to Bulawayo this weekend as those who support the MDC pro-senate faction gather for their national congress. The group’s information department said Friday that delegates were arriving from all parts of the country. Several diplomats are reported to have made the journey as well. |
Cost of bread rises to Z$ 65,000 in massive price hike
Teachers, soldiers and civil servants received their salaries on Thursday with no joy visible on their faces. Our Harare correspondent said people woke up to “earth shattering” price increases Thursday morning, making Wednesday’s earthquake a source of much humour |
Chiyangwa and Paradza expelled from ZANU PF
The state controlled Herald newspaper reports that Zanu PF has expelled former Mashonaland West provincial chairman and businessman Mr Philip Chiyangwa and former Makonde legislator Mr Kindness Paradza. Chiyangwa was a former MP for Chinhoyi |
| Powerful earthquake rocks many parts of Zimbabwe A powerful earthquake, measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale rocked many parts of the country on Thursday morning sending many people from their beds onto the streets. The quake also struck large parts of Mozambique. |
| 62 NCA members arrested in fresh demonstrations in Harare For the second time this week, police have arrested members of the National Constitutional Assembly who were demonstrating against what they called the holding of Mugabe ’ s lavish birthday celebrations scheduled for Mutare this weekend. |
| Another University planning to strip Mugabe of honorary degree The President of the University of Massachusetts will consider revoking an honorary doctorate awarded to Robert Mugabe. This was discussed during a press conference on Wednesday at the home of Nelson Mandela.. |
| Bogus war veterans vow to evict deputy minister from farm Deputy Education minister Isiah Shumba is being hounded off his plot by a group of bogus war veterans at Somerby estate about 20 km outside Harare, towards Norton. The deputy minister recently took over the farm homestead after the original owner of the property fled. |
Botswana withdraws permits from 10,000 Zimbabweans
The government in Botswana has withdrawn resident and work permits from over 10 000 Zimbabweans who have been working there for more than five years. |
Bulawayo civic groups compete to promote rival MDC factions
Bulawayo Agenda and Bulawayo Dialogue have apparently taken sides in the ongoing opposition feud. The two groups are set to host meetings in Bulawayo... |
Arthur Mutambara
The return of former student leader Arthur Mutambara to the country has landed like a bombshell in the increasing fraught world of opposition politics. |
NCA Demonstrators to be released
Police in Harare have charged 43 National Constitutional Assembly demonstrators under the Miscellaneous Offences Act and have fined each of them Z$250 000. |
Former student leader Arthur Mutambara nominated to lead pro-senate MDC faction
The MDC Secretary General Professor Welshman Ncube confirmed reports that former militant student leader Arthur Mutambara is one of the candidates expected to be nominated for the post of president. |
MDC Tsvangirai faction resolves to seek amicable split
The MDC National Council led by Morgan Tsvangirai, met this weekend to prepare the agenda... |
Reshuffle expected following Mugabe’s attack on cabinet
Robert Mugabe could be planning a major cabinet reshuffle following a stinging criticism of some of his underperforming ministers. |
WOZA women in the UK hold successful demo at Zimbabwe Embassy
The Women of Zimbabwe Arise held a successful demonstration this past Saturday at the Zimbabwe Embassy in London. |
| Food riots erupt at mealie-meal delivery in Bulawayo A food riot is reported to have broken out in Bulawayo Friday afternoon after a delivery of the scarce mealie-meal arrived at a local shop. 10 people were injured and windows were broken as riot police tried to control the situation. |
| WOZA women released without bail after 3 nights in crowded cells 64 women from the pressure group Women of Zimbabwe Arise appeared before a Harare magistrate Friday charged under the Miscellaneous Offences Act. They were the last out of nearly 300 who were arrested Tuesday at a Valentines Day march. |
Zimbabweans in Mozambique anxious about political change
About half a million Zimbabweans are now based in Mozambique and most of them are finding it extremely difficult to adjust to life in that country. |
| Officials concealing spread of skin disease in Harare Prisons The government is allegedly keeping silent about a skin disease outbreak at Harare’s Central and Remand Prisons. Our correspondent Simon Muchemwa said efforts to curb the spread of the ailment have failed. |
Call for Chombo to resign as cholera takes more lives in Epworth
Harare residents are calling for the resignation of the minister of local government Ignatius Chombo after it was announced that 5 more people had died from cholera in Epworth during the past week. |
Police arrest 21 students during countrywide demonstrations
The students are protesting the shocking tuition fee hikes and what they consider to be government neglect of their welfare in a hyper-inflationary environment. Wednesday's protests at NUST in Bulawayo spread to the University of Zimbabwe and the Bulawayo Polytechnic on Thursday. |
US$9 million payment saves Zimbabwe from IMF expulsion
The International Monetary Fund released a statement on Wednesday saying Zimbabwe had paid US$9 million, clearing its overdue balance with the IMF General Resources Account (GRA). |
Police accused of abuse and torture by arrested WOZA women
Hundreds of activists from the pressure group Women of Zimbabwe Arise are still languishing in police custody at Harare Central Police station, and officials say they are being physically abused by the police. |
Leading lawyer speaks out on the rot in cricket
One of the country’s leading defence lawyers, Beatrice Mtetwa says its clear the interim committee running Zimbabwe Cricket has adopted a divide and rule tactic to get at players opposed to the top management. |
Supreme Court throws out Tsvangirai challenge to Mugabe presidency
On Tuesday the court threw out a constitutional challenge by MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai in which he sought the nullification of the 2002 presidential election. The elections were won by Zanu PF’s Robert Mugabe amid allegations of violence, intimidation and electoral fraud. |
| Arrested WOZA members forced to pay fines in Harare More than 150 members of The Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) who were arrested in Harare Tuesday were still in police custody on Wednesday evening. The police had finally decided to charge them under The Miscellaneous Offences Act for conduct likely to cause breach of the peace. |
| South Africa speeds up Zimbabwe asylum cases as 1000 arrive daily The Zimbabwe Action Support Group in South Africa (ZASG) has expressed concern over the amount of Zimbabweans being refused asylum in neighbouring South Africa. ZASG spokesman Rogers Mudarikwa said at least 1 000 Zimbabweans are risking their lives to to get into SA daily. |
Global diaspora conference planned for next year
A national network of 18 Zimbabwe civic organisations based in South Africa has resolved to host the first ever global diaspora international conference. |
Police arrest over 500 for various offences in “Operation Valentine”
Police blocked a march by the Women of Zimbabwe Arise who had gathered for a peaceful Valentines Day march in Harare on Tuesday afternoon. They took away 2 truckloads and 5 police Defenders full of members, among them were 3 infants, some elderly women and one disabled member on crutches. |
More deaths, no solution as cholera takes 13 more lives
The Health Ministry reportedly announced that 5 people died from cholera in Epworth, and 8 in the Kwekwe and Gokwe districts. This makes a total of 27 across the country in just over a month. At least 250 victims are being treated nationwide. Yet officials have no known plan to stem the spread of water-borne diseases, or to address the underlying causes. |
2 Zimbabweans nominated for international human rights award
Zimbabwe has been put on the spotlight again. Jenni Williams, the WOZA corordinator and Arnold Tsunga the Director of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights are among four people nominated for the Martin Ennals (MEA) Award for Human Rights Defenders for 2006. |
African Commission report on Zimbabwe
Opposition MP David Coltart moved a motion in parliament commending the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights for adopting a resolution on human rights violations in the country. Government Chief Whip in parliament Joram Gumbo however insists the motion is not well researched because the AU Council of Ministers have not adopted the Commission’s resolutions yet. |
| Police arrest over 100 WOZA women at peaceful Bulawayo demonstration Members of the Women of Zimbabwe Arise and students from The National University of Science and Technology (NUST) marched through central Bulawayo on Monday, singing and holding placards with the theme ‘bread and roses’. |
Corruption and lack of resources plague Operation Garikai in Gwanda Journalist Warren Moroka visited the sites where construction of houses for the victims Operation Murambatsvina is supposed to be taking place in Gwanda. He said there was no activity and the houses are not complete. Some have no doors or roofing and there is no electricity or water. In short, the homes are inhabitable. |
Reserve Bank scraps fuel coupon system over abuse
Zimbabwe’s thriving black market has scuppered a pilot project launched by the Reserve Bank to harness foreign currency from people wanting to buy scarce fuel. Under the scheme anyone with forex could purchase fuel coupons and trade these in for either petrol or diesel at participating fuel stations. |
MDC delegation holds successful USA meetings despite bad weather
Severe snow in some parts of the USA failed to stop rallies by a delegation of the MDC led by spokesman Nelson Chamisa. They are on a whirlwind tour of the diaspora, addressing supporters in both the UK and the US. Chamisa, Makokoba MP Thokozani Khupe, National Chairman Isaac Matongo all addressed a gathering in Philadelphia at the weekend. |
Biti dismisses fake draft 'MDC' constitution being circulated
Lawyer and Harare East Member of Parliament, Tendai Biti has dismissed as fake, a draft ‘MDC’ constitution being circulated to party supporters and the media. The document gives the impression party leader Morgan Tsvangirai is trying to amend the MDC constitution and give himself excessive powers and an unlimited term in office. Biti says he is chairing a committee tasked by the National Council to draft constitutional reform proposals. No other organ of the party was carrying out a parallel process. |
Is old age slowing Mugabe down, as Mujuru continues as Acting President Robert Mugabe’s health status continues to be a mystery as there is never an official comment or statement about his well being. But over the last two months speculation is rife over the condition of the dictator who turns 82 on the 21 st of February. Mugabe is supposed to be officially back at work after his annual leave expired at the end of January but state media is still reporting that Joyce Mujuru is acting president. Commentators say the latest reports allude to the “mysterious disappearance of the president which has set tongues wagging in diplomatic circles.” |
| Agriculture minister ridicules CFU call to end farm evictions A statement released last Friday by the Commercial Farmers’ Union (CFU), calling on the government to turn around its current land and agricultural policies and rejuvenate agriculture has been dismissed as hogwash by the Minister of Agriculture Joseph Made. In a harsh statement published in the government newspaper The Herald, Made said: "The white farmers have suddenly realised their irrelevance in the current agricultural set-up and have decided to write statements instead of accepting reality." |
Expensive trips for unavailable products at inflated prices
Our correspondent in Mashonaland West says the price of most basic commodities has skyrocketed, but ironically those same things are not anywhere to be found. Mike Mutasa says he made the rounds in Chinhoyi, and was not able to find mealie-meal or sugar. But he said there were signs in the shops advertising the new prices for these products. |
SA opposit ion to quiz Mbeki over his Zimbabwe statements
On Thursday The Democratic Alliance party in South Africa said they plan to submit parliamentary questions to President Mbeki regarding his statements to the SABC that Zimbabwe’s opposition reached an agreement on a new constitution with the ruling party 2 years ago. |
Farmers sceptical about Mugabe land grab reversal
A report in the UK Telegraph newspaper says Robert Mugabe has begun to reverse his controversial land grab policy and will soon offer some white farmers an opportunity to lease back their property in Zimbabwe. |
| High Court orders review of Daily News ban The MIC denied the paper a licence on spurious technical grounds despite several of its commissioners recommending the granting of one. On Wednesday Justice Rita Makarau set aside this decision and said they needed to look at it again. |
MDC leaders reject Mbeki’s claims of an agreement with ZANU-PF
T he Zimonline news site reports that leaders of both factions of the MDC have rejected South African president Thabo Mbeki’s claims that they signed an agreement on a draft new Constitution with Zanu-PF in 2004. |
Shock rise in University of Zimbabwe tuition fees
The cost of university education rose 10 times in the last week following a decision by the University of Zimbabwe to set their fees at over Z$ 35 million a year from the previous Z$ 3,5 million. |
Murambatsvina victims living destitute lives in Glen Norah
Over 150 victims of Operation Murambatsvina at Glen Norah C’s home industries are still living in the open. They have become destitutes in a surburb they used to call home. Many in the area are now using sheets of plastic and broken pieces of furniture to construct makeshift houses. |
Zimbabweans shocked at death of great humanitarian Sheba Dube
On Tuesday morning, Zimbabweans suffered a great loss when the well-known humanitarian Sheba Dube Phiri died unexpectedly while attending a conference just outside of Bulawayo. The woman affectionately called Auntie Sheba was fine on Friday night when she received an award from the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance. |
Zimbabweans in Bots. forced into sex
We continue to receive reports of how illegal Zimbabwean immigrants are being ill-treated in Botswana. The latest is that a group of men and women from Zimbabwe were forced to have sex without condoms by soldiers in Botswana. |
Millers accuse Grain Marketing Board of causing shortages
Officials from the government run Grain Marketing Board (GMB) met with representatives from milling organizations in Bulawayo on Monday to discuss the shortage of mealie-meal in the city. |
Political parties mushrooming in advance of 2008 elections
Zimbabweans have been urged to be wary of political parties that mushroom overnight particularly towards election time. The call was made by political commentator Dr John Makumbe commenting on the recent formation of new parties in Zimbabwe. |
‘Zimbabwean workers turned to beggars’ says Siwela
Outspoken Zapu leader Paul Siwela has observed that the prevailing dire economic situation in the country has forced the majority of workers to go through a very pathetic situation of survival.
‘Every worker in the country is going through an extremely difficult period, including those from the sensitive areas like the Central Intelligence Organisation, police and army. |
SA cuts power to Zimbabwe
South Africa’s power utility Eskom confirmed at the weekend that it had switched off power to Zimbabwe, for ‘maintenance.’ |
| Mbeki says Zimbabwe missed its chance to solve crisis South Africa’s president defended his “quiet diplomacy” on Zimbabwe on Sunday when he told SABC TV that Zimbabwe missed a chance to resolve its political crisis 2 years ago. |
Doctors urge govt to address disease
The lack of adequate service delivery by government is contributing to the outbreak of disease and continues to pose a health threat. |
MDC leaders hold meetings with activists in the UK
An MDC delegation, led by national chairman Isaac Matongo is on the first leg of their three nations tour... |
Chegutu mayoral nominations peaceful but full of surprise
The nomination court for the upcoming Chegutu mayoral election was held on FridayThe former opposition councillor for ward 6 Cephus Magaso reported that both factions of the divided MDC submitted candidates. |
Zapu leader says Mugabe now a liability to Zimbabwe
Paul Siwela, the outspoken leader of Zapu believes Zimbabwe will not survive until the end of this year with Robert Mugabe as head of the country. Siwela says Mugabe has become such a liability that people could rise against him anytime now if the economic situation continues to deteriorate unabated. |
MDC team prepares for strategic international tour
A delegation of MDC officials led by party chairman Isaac Matongo start a tour of Europe, USA and South Africa to meet with opposition structures. MDC representative in Brussels Grace Kwinjeh said the party is inviting the Diaspora to contribute to a policy and ideology report. |
HIV scandal as government chefs divert medication
The poor people in Zimbabwe who are afflicted with the HIV/AIDs virus are slowly dying because government chefs are interfering with their treatment. They are diverting vital medication for their own use and in some cases replacing ARV with placebos. |
Tsvangirai deported from Zambia
The opposition president and 8 senior officials were deported from Livingstone, Zambia in the early hours of Thursday morning. |
Tsvangirai deported from Zambia
The opposition president and 8 senior officials were deported from Livingstone, Zambia in the early hours of Thursday morning. Tsvangirai had been in Zambia on business for three days and Chamisa said the deportation was illogical as they had passed thru the Zimbabwean and Zambian border posts without a problem. |
US President Bush offers more rhetoric but no action on Zimbabwe
The crisis in Zimbabwe has again been highlighted on the world stage, this time by US president George Bush in his State of the Union Address delivered Tuesday night. Grouping Zimbabwe with oppressive regimes in Syria, Burma, North Korea and Iran, Bush declared that the "demands of justice" require "freedom" from Mugabe's dictatorship. |
Sex for houses scandal in “Garikai” housing scheme
A housing scheme in Cowdray Park Bulawayo, meant to benefit victims of governments operation murambatsvina, has been hit by allegations of sex for houses claims. |
Media Commission blackmails newspaper into retracting story
One of Zimbabwe’s last remaining independent newspapers ‘The Zimbabwe Independent’ has allegedly been blackmailed into retracting an accurate story in order to secure accreditation for its journalists. |
IMF presents report to government
The International Monetary Fund - the IMF - has been in Zimbabwe for a week and is due to hand over a report to government officials on Wednesday. State-controlled radio admitted the IMF report could prove crucial in terms of the country retaining its membership. |
Zanu PF bids to takeover Dynamos
Government ministers and wealthy businessmen linked to Zanu PF are reportedly trying to buy into the country's biggest football team, Dynamos. Ignatius Chombo and Mashonalalnd East Governor Ray Kaukonde are said to be interested. |
Warriors save the best for last
Zimbabwe's gallant perfomance on Tuesday night might have saved coach Charles Mhlauri's job, which was hanging by a thread following two dismal showings against Senegal and Nigeria. |
Bus fares go up nearly 200%
Fares for long distance buses went up Tuesday by nearly 200% adding more strain to passengers hard hit by the economic crisis in Zimbabwe. A single trip to Mutare from Harare now cost at least Z$1m. |
New Z$50,000 note
Further evidence of Zimbabwe's run away inflation came out Wednesday when a new Z$50 000 bearer cheque into circulation. The purple coloured note has been introduced by the Reserve Bank to try and reduce the amount of notes people have to carry when transacting their business. |