Seven arrested as riot police disrupt university student’s campaign rally
There was drama at the University of Zimbabwe Monday when truckloads of riot police disrupted a campaign rally for SRC elections. Armed with baton sticks and accompanied by police dogs they entered Swindon Hall on campus ordering everyone out. 7 student leaders were arrested and taken to Avondale Police station before being transferred to Harare Central.

Garikai houses allocated to ZANU PF Our resident contact Kumbirai says the much needed houses built under Operation Garikai are being allocated mostly to undeserving ZANU PF members. He said the plight of the homeless Murambatsvina victims in Murehwa is very sad especially as winter approaches.

South Africa opposition urges Mbeki to grant Roy Bennett asylum
The Democratic Alliance party issued a strongly worded statement Tuesday urging the South African government to grant Bennett political asylum without delay. The statement said Bennett had bravely stared down the Mugabe regime in the face of adversity.

Massive Murambatsvina remembrance activities planned
It’s has been described by its co-ordinators as the ‘second biggest movement ever since the no vote campaign against Zanu PF’s proposed constitution of 2000.’

Coltart says: Mutambara faction is still viable

Although the two warring MDC factions have been conducting their separate rallies and activities there is still the outstanding issue of ownership of the party name and assets. The MDC MP for Bulawayo South and the party's former legal secretary David Coltart, who has been trying to act as mediator to help find a resolution to the party's split, has said his efforts have hit a snag.

School fees shoot up by 100 percent
Parents are bracing themselves for another spate of school fee increases following revelations that most government and private schools are raising tuition and boarding fees by 100 percent. It’s the second time this year that authorities have adjusted the fees.

Clean up victims still stranded
Harare’s Metropolitan governor David Karimanzira has told desperate victims of Operation Murambatsvina to destroy the new structures they have built or face another demolition exercise.

MDC deny press reports of talks
The MDC has distanced itself from reports suggesting it is in talks with Zanu PF about setting up a transitional government.

Electricity crisis set to worsen as coal mining grinds to a halt
Heavy rains and poor planning at Wankie Colliery are threatening to worsen the country’s already fragile electricity generation capacity. Insiders at the company said most if not all mining shafts are flooded.

Ruling not to deport failed asylum seekers in UK still in force
Failed Zimbabwean asylum seekers will not be deported back to Zimbabwe despite Wednesday’s Court of Appeal judgment which ruled in favour of the Home Office.

Outrage as Zimbabweans blamed for high crime rate in SA
The Zimbabwe Civic Society Organisation in South Africa has reacted angrily to claims carried in a daily newspaper that Zimbabweans are responsible for the high crime rate in that country. One article that has caused outrage among Zimbabweans was published Wednesday iunder a bold headline ‘Alien Gangs of Terror’.

Mutasa threatens to shoot

State security minister Didymus Mutasa has threatened opposition supporters ho intend to join pending mass protests that government will ‘use guns’ to thwart them.

Sixteen years after getting shot Kombayi lawsuit set for court
Sixteen years after state security agents shot him in an assassination attempt, veteran politician Patrick Kombayi looks set to have his day in court. The weekly Zimbabwe Standard reports that Kombayi has lodged a Z$ 172 billion lawsuit against ruling party officials.

Pupils to spy on teachers in new government system
A showdown is looming between teachers and the government after a circular was sent to all schools that, starting next month, school children will be assessing the teaching methods of their teachers.

Khupe says mass demostrations against regime now inevitable
MDC Vice-President Thokozani Khupe believes it’s now inevitable that Zimbabweans will take to the streets soon to demonstrate against mounting government failures. In a nation ravaged by unemployment, food shortages, hunger and corruption, Khupe said the mass demonstrations would be a sign of an outpouring of rage against the country’s slide towards chaos.

Zengeza MP granted bail as police change charges three times
Goodrich Chimbaira was granted Z$3 million bail Friday by the Chitungwiza Magistrates Court. The MDC legislator was arrested Tuesday on allegations of smuggling cigarettes and held in custody for almost three days. Lawyer Alec Muchadehama described the issue as a smear campaign.

Government orders Christian Care to stop feeding displaced families at Hopley Farm
The Christian Care relief agency has been ordered to limit its food assistance programme at Hopley Farm in Harare to the chronically ill and to child-headed families only. The orders were allegedly given at a meeting chaired by Ezekiel Mpande, an officer in the Department of Social Welfare.

MDC factions to field candidates for Budiriro by-election
Contrary to popular perception, Zimbabwe’s main opposition party, albeit with two competing faces, says it will contest the Budiriro parliamentary by-election set for next month. The seat fell vacant following the death of MP Gilbert Shoko in February this year. A boycott of the senate elections had created the impression the MDC will boycott all elections.

Theatrical play to discuss political issues, change of leadership
For the first time at Theatre in The Park in Harare, audiences have taken part in open discussions about controversial issues that they will not discuss anywhere else. The subject matter is political, and according to the Theatrical play’s director Daves Guzha, audience members had to so much to say in this safe environment that they had to cut them short in order to make time for other performances. The play is called “Pregnant With Emotion”, and the cast are all veteran Zimbabwean actors, musicians and and poets.

Shonayi funeral at Rufaro Stadium
Former Zimbabwe national team captain Francis Shonhayi who died in South Africa last week will have a memorial service in his honour at Rufaro Stadium. Shonhayi will then be buried at his rural home in Chirumanzi on Friday soon after the service. The body is expected in Harare on Thursday from South Africa.

Senate creating serious divisions within Zanu PF
The creation of a senate in the country’s parliament has not only caused a split in the main opposition but there is growing evidence to suggest the ruling party Zanu PF is on the verge of a similar fallout for different reasons. Zanu PF senators and Members of Parliament are apparently squabbling with each over boundaries, duties and legitimacy.

MDC in restructuring exercise in South Africa
The Morgan Tsvangirai led MDC in South Africa, now known as a province following constitutional changes during the party’s national people’s congress in Harare recently, has began its restructuring exercise that will be capped off by a congress in early May.