Talks between doctors and Health ministry collapse
Negotiations between striking doctors and their parent ministry have broken down amid fears the death toll at major hospitals has increased at an alarming rate. It also emerged Tuesday that mortuary attendants and cooks at the hospitals have also joined the strike. Kudakwashe Nyamutukwa, President of the Hospital Doctors Association said that they have called off any negotiations with officials from the Ministry of Health.

Reports of mounting tension at Zimbabwe Military Academy
There are reports that the Zimbabwe Military Academy was sealed off last week following a standoff between army cadets and their instructors over salaries. The academy in Gweru is used as an entry point for all new officer cadets. A source told us that senior officers from the cadet wing were summoned to Harare to explain what happened.

Police interrogate NCA leader over demonstrations
National Constitutional Assembly chairperson Dr Lovemore Madhuku was questioned by police Monday in connection with last week’s protests in Harare . The police allege that the outspoken leader had failed to seek police clearance before holding the demonstration. More than 400 people demonstrated last Thursday against plans by the Mugabe regime to postpone the presidential election from 2008 to 2010.

ZCTU threaten general strike if govt fails to meet worker demands
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions has warned government it will call a general strike if the demands of workers across the country are not addressed by the 23 rd February. The union announced its general council will meet on the 24 thFebruary to decide on the dates for industrial action.

Shops and businesses targeted in government ‘clean-up’ exercise
Over a hundred shops and businesses in Harare have been closed down by the city council’s health department in an exercise the authorities say is intended to clampdown on businesses operating illegally. But the indiscriminate way the exercise has been carried out has left genuine companies reeling from the shutdown and billions of dollars worth of business has been lost in the last two weeks.

Economic chaos as dollar crashes
Inflation keeps rising and it is currently at an all-time high of over 1,200%. Doctors are on strike demanding more money. Nurses joined in this week and teachers said they are walking out on Monday. Water tariffs increased by 1000% and government approved sugar price hikes this week.

Rival teachers unions unite for strike action
Two of the country’s competing unions, the Progressive Teachers Union and the Zimbabwe Teachers Association have put aside their differences and united in telling government their members are going on strike next week. Some reports say the strike will begin Monday but Raymond Majongwe, the PTUZ Secretary General, said they are keeping a tight lid on the actual date for security reasons.

Army and police terrorising residents in Matabeleland North
The former governor of Mat north has reported that residents in the province are living in fear at the hands of soldiers and police who are harassing and torturing innocent civilians and stealing from them. Veteran politician Welshman Mabhena said army and police units were deployed in the area last year to control gold panning activity but they were never withdrawn.

Ncube wins citizenship case
Registrar General Tobaiwa Mudede has been ordered to reinstate Trevor Ncube’s citizenship by the High Court. The newspaper publisher was denied a new passport last year on the grounds that he was a Zambian. Ncube said it’s time that bullying public servants like Mudede are taught a lesson and must be made to pay from their own pockets for wasting people’s time.

Highlanders ready for African soccer challenge
Zimbabwe soccer champions Highlanders kick-off their African Champions League campaign with a home fixture against Mauritian side Pamplemousse, at Barbourfields stadium on Sunday.

Ncube’s citizenship remains under threat as court case continues The High Court has postponed the hearing of newspaper publisher Trevor Ncube’s citizenship case. This is after the Attorney General’s office requested an adjournment to Thursday, to study new evidence brought in by the defence team. Ncube is asking the court to reverse his de-nationalisation and to order the government to issue him with a passport within three days of issue of the High Court order.

Tekere says criticism has fuelled book sales
Edgar Tekere has said criticism of his book in the state controlled media has helped fuel its sales. In an interview on our Behind the Headlines series, Tekere said people are buying the book because the negative publicity he is receiving is making them curious. He has already threatened to sue the Herald charging they are overly keen to please Mugabe.

Broke ZESA to retrench hundreds of workers
Zimbabweans are bracing for darkness after the acting chairman of the country’s power authority admitted ZESA has no money. Speaking at a televised press conference Tuesday, acting chairman Christopher Chetsenga said there is no forex to import spares & necessary repairs were long overdue.

Arrested students dumped in game reserve
Police vindictiveness took on a new form last week Friday when they dumped 10 student leaders near the Matopos national park, two days after arresting them for holding a meeting in Bulawayo . The national park, home to the famous balancing rocks and Cecil John Rhodes’ grave is 50km outside Bulawayo and is inhabited by lion and leopard. Promise Mkwananzi, the president of the Zimbabwe National Students Union, said they spent two days in custody with no charges being placed.

Mutasa says white farmers have no future in Zimbabwe
At the weekend the State security & lands minister Didymus Mutasa is reported to have said white farmers have no future in Zimbabwe and more land would be seized from the few who remain on their properties. He said the future of agriculture is black. Then on Tuesday Reuters news agency reported him saying government was compiling a list of white farmers who have been relating well in terms of good human relationships who would be exempt from eviction.

Government takes over water supply to Bulawayo
The Zimbabwe National Water Authority last week informed the city of Bulawayo they will be taking over all water supply services as early as the end of January. In a letter to the mayor and town clerk ZINWA said they had a cabinet directive authorising the change. Our correspondent spoke to mayor Japhet Ndabeni Ncube who expressed deep reservations. He said the ZINWA takeover means Bulawayo loses 40% of its revenue base.

Zim confiscates more radios to block independent broadcasts
At least 42 radios have been confiscated by state security agents in rural areas. Several teachers are said to have fled schools while others have been sent on forced leave as a result of intimidation and harassment in the Midlands and Mashonaland East areas. The radios were distributed to groups, especially teachers, to form radio listening clubs to allow people to listen to independent news broadcasts.

Government blacklists outspoken wildlife conservationist
Officials have blacklisted Johnny Rodrigues and the Conservation Task Force he runs saying they will no longer accept donations he raises, including the £600,000 donated so far. D irector-general of Zimbabwe ’s Wildlife Management Authority Morris Mtsambiwa said Rodrigues produced negative and reports about conservation.

Gono’s “Merc” raises moral and ethical questions
The Standard Newspaper has retracted its story on Gideon Gono’s Mercedes. The paper made a dramatic u-turn at the weekend, and retracted its story after being invited to the Reserve Bank to see Gono’s car which he said cost US$138 000, plus the duty then paid. Businessman Mutumwa Mawere said such expenditure is shocking in a country that is in crisis, where teachers are deserting and doctors are on strike.

Government fires striking doctors
Deputy Health Minister Edwin Muguti has said all doctors who did not heed a government ultimatum to return to work by close of business Wednesday are considered to have resigned and they should vacate government accommodation. Doctors are currently on strike demanding an increase in their salaries from Z$56 000 to Z$5 million per month.

Basic food supplies halted by ministerial delay
A serious shortage of sugar and wheat flour for bread has hit Zimbabwe while the Ministry of Industry and International Trade continues to ignore new prices approved by all structures set up by government. Without final approval sugar mills & bakers say they will not sell any product because they stand to lose money.

Population explosion in Beitbridge due to border jumpers
The border town of Beitbridge faces a massive population explosion as authorities struggle to relocate border jumpers deported from South Africa . The high number of people in the town is also stretching the district council’s service delivery to the limit.

Suspended ZESA employees reinstated
The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority has reinstated the majority of workers who were suspended from duty last week for going on strike, demanding better pay.. About 135 workers were suspended following the industrial action. The general-secretary of the ZESA technical employees association, Thomas Masvingwe, said that almost all have been reinstated except 10 whom the management blame for leading the strike.

ZESN supports elections in 2008
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network has added its voice to the debate on the harmonisation of elections. The electoral body said the constitutional mandate should be respected and presidential elections should be held next year as scheduled. Last month, the ruling party announced plans to move presidential elections from 2008 to 2010 so they can be held simultaneously with parliamentary elections.

Police stop National Constitutional Assembly protesters
Authorities in Harare on Wednesday intercepted three buses ferrying hundreds of NCA activists to Parliament and diverted them to the Morris Depot police-training academy. An NCA spokesperson said police at the academy pulled activists off the buses and impounded the vehicles before ordering everyone to sit in groups.

Parliamentary committee to probe chefs in illegal diamond deals
Joel Gabuza, chairman of the special parliamentary portfolio committee on mines, energy and the environment, has confirmed that his committee will launch an investigation into illegal mining activities, including the involvement of any top government officials. Recent reports say top ranking members of Mugabe’s cabinet are conducting shady diamond deals that had been brought to the attention of the World Diamond Council.

Judge president admits justice system in shambles
In a speech to mark the beginning of the new legal year Judge president Justice Rita Makarau said the country’s justice delivery system is in shambles and riddled with corruption. Addressing a room full of top justice officials Makarau described 2006 as one of the worst Zimbabwe has ever had.

Free Zim youths corner Tanzanian president on Zim crisis
Free-Zim Youth on Monday cornered Tanzanian President Jakata Kikwete into commenting on the crisis. Kikwete is on a two-day official visit to the UK and was addressing diplomats, investors and Tanzanian students in London on development in Africa . Wellington Chibanguza from Free-Zim used the question session to ask Kikwete what he had done as Chair of the SADC organ on security and politics to address the repression being faced in countries like Zimbabwe .

National student body estimate 100 000 drop out over fees
Close to 100 000 students from the country’s higher learning institutions are believed to have dropped out in the last year because they cannot afford the ever-increasing fees. President of the Zimbabwe National Students Union, Promise Mkwananzi told Newsreel that a further 150 000 students are not certain if they would be able to complete their studies.

Zimbabweans demonstrate at the White House
The deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe visited the seat of America’s government Friday when nearly 100 opposition activists and concerned Zimbabweans from different states demonstrated outside the White House. Some travelled from as far as Ohio which is 8 hours away from Washington to express their discontent.

Save Zimbabwe Coalition resolve to engage in civil disobedience
The general council of the coalition on Thursday resolved to engage in a civil disobedience campaign against plans by Zanu PF to extend Mugabe’s presidential term. Save Zimbabwe groups together leaders from the opposition parties, civic society, student movement and church groups. According to Pedzisai Ruhanya the programmes manager for the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition ‘several forms of protest within the limits of a democracy,’ are being planned in 2007.

South Africa to recruit Zimbabwean science and maths teachers
South Africa’s education ministry is considering plans to recruit science and maths teachers from Zimbabwe in an attempt to plug serious shortages in their schools. An education official in the Gauteng province, Angie Motshekga told South African journalists that Education Minister Naledi Pandor confirmed Zimbabwean teachers had already approached their government over the vacancies.

UK House of Lords debate renewal of targetted sanctions in Zimbabwe
The issue of renewing targetted sanctions against members of the Mugabe regime gained momentum in the UK Parliament’s House of Lords on Monday. The smart sanctions imposed by the European Union expire next month. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon said since their rollover last February the situation in the country has only worsened, the economy continues to be grossly mismanaged and the opposition and independent media remain suppressed.

Government and private schools lock horns over fees
A stalemate between government and private schools over school fees will see many primary and High schools in the country going into voluntary liquidation as they will certainly run out of money before the end of the first term, analysts warned on Monday. With the 2007 school term starting on Tuesday, most private schools could be the first casualties of the determined policy by the Ministry of Education this year to limit school to levels well below half their budgeted costs.

Gono’s new Benz-i infuriates workers denied bonuses
In a country struggling to cope with a critical shortage of foreign currency the importation of a luxury car costing US$365 000 by the reserve bank governor has set tongues wagging. A few months after telling Zimbabweans he is yet to receive a salary from the Reserve Bank, Gideon Gono is reported to have taken delivery of the latest & probably fastest road legal sedan in the world, the Mercedes Brabus E-class V12 Bi-turbo.

Marondera without water since New Year
The state controlled Herald newspaper reported Friday that the town of Marondera has been without water since the beginning of this year. Residents contacted Friday confirmed that there had been no running water during the day since last week. The only information they have is a notice that came from civic authorities advising of a "water demand management programme" that the council was due to implement from January 1st “until further notice”.

ZESA employees back at work
Striking workers from the state owned power utility have gone back to work. Employees at the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority had downed their tools on Thursday demanding higher pay. Zesa Holdings general manager for corporate communications James Maridadi confirmed Friday that employees had returned to work as they had no reason to stop work in the first place.

ZESA workers go on strike over pay and working conditions
Workers at the state-owned Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority walked out on strike Thursday demanding higher pay and better working conditions. The strikers are demanding a 150 percent salary increment and a minimum basic salary of over Z$80 000 for the lowest paid employees. Employees on A1 salary grade are currently earning Z$23 000 per month.

Madhuku accuses police of downplaying petrol bomb
NCA chairperson Dr Lovemore Madhuku has criticised the police for downplaying the arson attack on his house last week. The civic leader, who said his house was petrol bombed in a politically motivated attack early Sunday, accused the police of taking their time to investigate the attack.

Health minister ignores doctors strike
Despite confirmations by patients visiting Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare that there are no junior doctors on duty, the health minister David Parirenyatwa is reported to have denied any knowledge of an ongoing strike. Our Harare correspondent Simon Muchemwa went to the government run facility on Wednesday and confirmed the absence of junior doctors and nurses working frantically to comfort the most urgent cases.

MDC factions to be tested again over Z$650 million state funding for political parties
When the MDC split into two camps in October 2005 over participation in senate elections, the fight over the party name and property has flared up occasionally. Nothing brings out more controversy though than who should receive state funding under the political parties finance act. The Secretary General of the Tsvangirai MDC, Tendai Biti told Newsreel the media was trying to create a big story out of the issue by presupposing there was going to be acrimony over the distribution of the money.

Zimbabwe Cricket elections kept secret from stakeholders
It has now emerged that elections held last week that retained Peter Chingoka as board chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket were held without the knowledge of most cricket stakeholders in the country. Highfields based Takashinga cricket club chairman Elvis Sembezeya disclosed on Wednesday that they were kept in the dark over the date and venue of the elections.

Economists warn Zim facing bleak 2007
The new year holds bleak prospects for the overwhelming majority of Zimbabweans reeling under world-record inflation and a meltdown that shows no sign of easing, say economists.

"The year 2007 is bad news already before we have even started it," said economist John Robertson, dismissing projections by finance minister Herbert Murerwa that Zimbabwe's four-digit inflation would drop in 2007. Report from News 24