Tsvangirai says he will not adopt ‘megaphone’ approach to talks
Prime Minister Tsvangirai spent 2 hours with the MDC provincial structures in Bulawayo and spelt out the party’s policies on a variety of issues, especially the shaky coalition government. According to our correspondent Tsvangirai noted several transgressions of the unity deal by ZANU PF, but insisted the MDC will not adopt a megaphone approach towards solving the problems. He said coalition governments the world over are problematic.

Education Minister and teachers meet as strike action threatened
An ultimatum set by the country’s teachers unions for a proper salary structure for teachers, ran out on Thursday. This sets the scene for an anticipated strike when schools reopen on Tuesday. The Zimbabwe Teachers Association and the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe have both threatened mass action. Shortly after the unity government was formed in February teachers and other civil servants were given a US$100 monthly payout, but with the dollarisation of the economy this is not enough.

Harare City Council rocked by corruption scandal
The Town Clerk of Harare, Tendai Mahachi, has been plunged deep into a corruption scandal after the Harare Residents Association – CHRA - implicated him in the disappearance of huge amounts of council funds.CHRA’s chairperson, Simbarashe Moyo, said they were demanding the immediate suspension of Mahachi following reports of massive corruption and mismanagement at the Town House.

Gono sponsors Herald ad admitting he stole money from farmers
Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono, battling to block an investigation into his alleged illegal activities at the bank, has splashed out cash to sponsor a 20 page supplement in the state owned Herald newspaper on Monday. In the advert Gono, who is accused by Finance Minister Tendai Biti of running a parallel government structure, admitted raiding US$18 million that was meant to go into the accounts of tobacco farmers.

Who should write Zimbabwe’s constitution?
The making of a new constitution is slowly turning into one big fight. That our country needs to revitalise itself is not in doubtm and the fact that it needs a constitutional overhaul is also a well known fact.

Mugabe agrees to swear in Bennett BUT only after court acquittal
The three principals in the unity government have met five times recently to discuss the controversies surrounding the implementation of the GPA. But have still failed to come up with a solution.

IMF agrees to set up multi donor fund for Zimbabwe
Finance Minister Tendai Biti was expected to leave the US on Tuesday evening, following a fundraising trip to try and get financial rescue packages from the US government, the IMF and the World Bank. Although there was no sign of an immediate bail out, the IMF has reportedly agreed to set up a multi donor fund to be run by itself, the United Nations Development Program and the World Bank.

Zimbabwe Prison Services needs complete overhaul
The Ministry of Justice is facing fresh pressure to overhaul its prison facilities, after the International Committee of the Red Cross has finally been ‘allowed’ to begin work on improving conditions at the prisons. The organization began work two weeks ago at Chikurubi Maximum Security and Harare Central prisons, and would soon extend its work to other jails across the country.

Elephants flee Zimbabwe as poaching increases
Zimbabwe’s endangered elephants have become the latest ‘refugees’ fleeing the country, moving in their hundreds across the border to the relative safety of Zimbabwe’s neighbours. According to the independent Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, as many as 400 elephants have crossed the Zambezi River into neighbouring Zambia in recent months.

Analyst says Tsvangirai is covering up Mugabe’s misdemeanors
Morgan Tsvangirai has been making statements that people find hard to reconcile with events on the ground. This weekend at a rally he told thousands of party supporters that Mugabe does nothing without Tsvangirai’s approval and there is nothing Tsvangirai does without Mugabe’s approval.

Wounded Chegutu farm worker arrested
A Chegutu farm worker, who was wounded after police opened fire on Stockdale citrus farm last week, has been arrested. The farm worker and a colleague were both struck in the legs when police fired random shots at the vehicle the workers were travelling in on the farm property last Tuesday.

Mutambara MDC deny suspending former MP Sikhala
The MDC faction led by Arthur Mutambara has denied suspending its Secretary for Defence and Security, Job Sikhala, for organizing an ‘unsanctioned’ rally at which he attacked the party president. The maverick former St Mary’s MP has so far held 3 rallies in which he has accused Mutambara of being too close to Mugabe, to the detriment of the party’s image.

Cabinet set to discuss tuition fee protests on Tuesday
Months of clashes between students and police over exorbitant forex fees might come to an end, if a planned discussion of the matter in cabinet next Tuesday is followed through. MDC officials in the coalition government have confirmed meeting student leaders during the week to get their side of the story and one minister said the cabinet meeting will seek to tackle the controversial issue once and for all.

Stockdale farm owner released
The owner of the Stockdale citrus farm in Chegutu was finally released on Friday, after four days behind bars. Peter Etheredge was taken into custody Tuesda, after conducting an inspection on his farm, which he has been forced to leave by President of the Senate, Edna Madzongwe.

How is Zuma going to deal with Robert Mugabe?
In two weeks time Jacob Zuma will be confirmed as the new President of South Africa and Zimbabweans are anxious to see if he will bring with him any policy changes towards Zimbabwe. South Africa’s ‘quiet diplomacy’ towards the political and economic crises in the country has stoked the fury of ordinary Zimbabweans who, in the last ten years, could see no results from this approach.

Senator’s men beat Chegutu farm workers
Violent threats against innocent farm workers are escalating. In Chegutu, five workers from Twyford farm are recovering from injuries they received after brutal beatings by a gang of thugs, working for the ZANU PF Senator that has forcibly taken over the land. Senator Jamaya Muduvuri has led the campaign against the farm owners since February when he moved onto the property, and ongoing looting and large-scale theft has continued ever since.

Journalists blast government media stakeholders’ conference
The Media Alliance of Zimbabwe & the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe have heavily criticised a proposed government media stakeholders’ conference. The Ministry of Information sent out invitations for the conference, titled, ‘Towards an Open, Tolerant, and Responsible Media Environment’, scheduled to be held in May.

Parliament should investigate Gono
An economic analyst has urged the country’s parliamentarians to institute a commission of inquiry, to investigate the Reserve Bank Governor for raiding private accounts and those of aid donors. Gono used the hard currency to finance the ZANU PF led government. London based economist Isaac Dziya said Gono is no longer fit to remain as the central bank governor, because he abused the trust of his office.

Stockdale farm owner still behind bars as land attacks escalate
The owner of Chegutu’s Stockdale citrus farm, who has been forced to leave his land after violent invasions, is still being held behind bars after being arrested on Tuesday. Peter Etheredge was taken into custody after visiting his farm, which has been forcefully taken over by the President of the Senate, Edna Madzongwe.

Crisis group warns of risk of military coup in Zimbabwe
The International Crisis Group has warned of what it called the ‘real risk’ of a military coup. It said this would be initiated by military leaders whose influence is beginning to wane and whose patronage system is being eroded by the coalition government.

Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara to meet again Thursday
The three principals to the Global Political Agreement are meeting again on Thursday. A highly placed source told us that Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara all agreed that the unresolved outstanding issues in the unity government had to come to some finality.

3 farm workers injured after police open fire on Stockdale farm
Three farm workers from Chegutu’s Stockdale Farm are recovering from gun shot wounds after police opened fire on them Tuesday morning. One of the victims had his foot amputated as a result of his injuries.

Thirteen students arrested after Masvingo protests over fees
At least 13 student leaders at the Masvingo Polytechnic were arrested soon after a demonstration at the nearby Great Zimbabwe University. 8 were later released. Close to 600 students at the university staged a peaceful protest against what they describe as exorbitant forex fees.

Chamisa likely to retain communication portfolio
Nelson Chamisa is likely to retain control of the communication portfolio, after it was generally agreed that Mugabe had no authority to unilaterally dictate terms in the inclusive government. Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara had met on Monday and clarification was sought during the meeting about Mugabe’s powers, under the unity government, from Welshman Ncube and Emmerson Mnangagwa, both seasoned lawyers.

Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara meet again
The three principals to the unity government met in Harare Monday to try and finalise a variety of outstanding issues. Robert Mugabe, Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara discussed the swearing in of the provincial governors, the appointment of the Governor of the Reserve Bank and the Attorney General, plus Permanent Secretaries and Ambassadors.

Biti orders Gono to take cars back from legislators
The saga over the distribution of vehicles to members of parliament took a new twist Monday when Finance MinisterTendai Biti ordered parliamentarians to return the cars they had been given by the Reserve Bank, by Monday.

Shock as govt refuses to take action in renewed farm attack
A Chegutu farmer who had a personal visit from a ministerial team investigating the farm invasions last week, has described his shock that within an hour of the visit, he came under fresh attack from land invaders.

Mbeki recalled to define Mugabe’s powers
It’s been reported that discussions on Thursday between Robert Mugabe, Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, over the outstanding issues in the unity government, have hit a brick wall, with Mugabe insisting that he has a right to make independent decisions. We could get no official comment but sources close to the discussions said the principals were supposed to meet again on Friday, but that didn’t happen.

Prosecutors granted permission to block detainees bail
On Friday a High Court Judge granted the Attorney General’s office permission to appeal in the Supreme Court against the granting of bail to three political detainees. MDC officials Gandhi Mudzingwa and Chris Dhlamini, plus freelance journalist Shadreck Manyere will remain in jail as the political games over their detention continue.

MDC MP remains in Chipinge remand prison
Mathias Mlambo, MDC MP for Chipinge East, is being held in police custody after his arrest Monday for allegedly inciting violence at a funeral of an MDC member. The MP was granted bail Tuesday but remains in prison because of a disagreement by the legal teams over his bail conditions. Meanwhile 12 MDC activists, who were arrested in early April on charges of extortion and assault in Buhera, were finally granted bail of US$10 each on Friday.

Ministerial team set up to probe land attacks
A Chegutu farmer, who has come under recent attack by land invaders, says he is encouraged by the government’s decision to set up a team of ministers to probe the recent wave of farm attacks. The ministerial team, which is being led by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, was announced by Mutambara on Thursday.

MDC confirm participation in Independence Day celebrations
For the first time the MDC will take part in Independence Day celebrations this weekend, with ZANU PF. Following a decision to enter the coalition government with ZANU PF two months ago the party said they now felt they could attend the April 18th celebrations. Previously their argument against participation was that ZANU PF had privatised the occasion, to suit their own political interests.

Botswana pledges credit line as SADC funding deadline expires
Botswana’s government has pledged a US$70 million credit line to Zimbabwe, days after a deadline set by SADC for members to pledge financial aid to Zimbabwe ran out on Tuesday. Botswana said the global financial crisis, which has seen the purse strings of most government’s tighten, was keeping Botswana from doing more.

Chegutu farm workers still behind bars as invasion continues
Seven farm workers from Chegutu’s Mount Carmel Farm are still behind bars this week, more than ten days since their vicious and wrongful arrest. The group was hauled into custody by Chegutu police the day after the farm invasion began in earnest earlier this month. They were all brutally tortured by police in an effort to force false statements from them and are now facing trumped up charges of kidnapping.

MDC Home Affairs Minister Mutsekwa survives car accident
Recently appointed Home Affairs co-Minister Giles Mutsekwa, survived a car accident Monday, after his official Mercedes Benz was rammed from behind. Mutsekwa said he was traveling from Mutare to Harare but near the Macheke turnoff he encountered a long convoy of vehicles heading to the capital. This forced him to slow down and a speeding pick up slammed into the back of his car.

MDC Chipinge MP remanded in custody
Mathias Mlambo, the MDC MP for Chipinge East, was arrested Monday for allegedly inciting violence at the funeral of an MDC member who died recently. The MP was granted bail but remains in prison after the State and the defence disagreed over bail conditions. It’s alleged that last Friday ZANU PF supporters went to the funeral in Chipinge and started mocking the MDC, resulting in the fight. Police were called and an officer fired a shot.

NCA rejects government constitutional process
At the weekend Speaker of Parliament Lovemore Moyo announced the formation of a 25 member committee, drawn from the three political parties, which will look into the drafting of a new constitution. But now a showdown is looming between the government and the National Constitutional Assembly, which has announced it will continue to advocate for a new, democratic and people driven constitution, but not through the government sponsored process.

State determined to deny bail to political detainees
After his swearing in Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai stated that political prisoners were not going to remain in prison for another day. But more than two months after that statement his Director of Security, his former personal assistant and a freelance journalist are still in police custody, over trumped up political charges.

Arrested prison officials lose jobs
Three prison warders who were arrested after the screening of a shock documentary exposing Zimbabwe’s prison horrors, have all lost their jobs, despite being acquitted of the charges levelled against them. Thabiso Nyathi, Bhekinkosi Nkomo and Siyanai Muchechesi were arrested two weeks ago following the screening of the TV documentary in South Africa.

Veteran editor & Mugabe critic offered Herald job
Veteran editor Bill Saidi, who once worked as an Assistant Editor for the banned Daily News newspaper, has been offered the job of Deputy Editor in Chief at the state owned Herald newspaper. Saidi also worked for publisher Trevor Ncube’s Zimbabwe Standard newspaper, but retired in 2008. He is effectively being tempted out of retirement to come and join a paper long associated with the brutal regime of Mugabe.

Mugabe confirms support for farm invasions
Robert Mugabe on Wednesday once again condoned the fresh wave of farm attacks across the country, saying the land reform will continue. Over 100 farms have been targeted for seizure seized since the renewed campaign against the commercial farming community and more than 100 farmers are facing prosecution on various trumped up charges. The list of farmers who will likely have their cases fast tracked through the courts includes Chegutu farmer Martin Joubert, who along with seven workers from the Mount Carmel farm, has been remanded in custody. Meanwhile, in Rusape, farmer Charles Lock has been forced into hiding because of violent threats against him by Army Brigadier Justin Mujaji and his soldiers.

Former prison guard describes Chinamasa as a ‘lunatic’
Former Zimbabwe Prison Service guard, Shepherd Yuda, on Thursday described as ‘lunatic’ the denials by Justice Minister Chinamasa that recent video footage of shocking prison conditions was filmed inside Zimbabwe. Three prisons officers have now been arrested on allegations that they helped film the shocking conditions in two of the country's prisons. Yuda famously risked his life by secretly filming how members of the security services were forced to vote under supervision during the 2008 one-man presidential run-off. He said the arrested men would have had nothing to do with the clandestine filming, and will just be scapegoats.

State set to divert humanitarian aid to pay salaries
In a highly controversial statement the Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara this week announced that the coalition government had resolved to divert humanitarian aid, in order to support the government’s core functions – chiefly paying the salaries of the country’s civil service.

Respect for property rights at core of investment for Zimbabwe
At the opening of the ‘Stakeholders Summit’ in Harare recently Dr. Albrecht Conze, the German Ambassador to Zimbabwe, said securing donor and investor confidence hinged on respect for property rights. He warned that countries far bigger than Zimbabwe have broken down in the 20th century because their ideology had abolished respect for property rights and that the continued farm disruptions are sending out the wrong message to the rest of the world. The Ambassador’s comments have been echoed by a group of 22 top South African business leaders who were in Zimbabwe to explore business opportunities. The South Africans said they are very interested in investing in Zimbabwe, but want guarantees of property rights.

Rival Anglican factions agree to share premises
Rival Anglican factions, one led by excommunicated Bishop Nolbert Kunonga and the other by the man who replaced him, Bishop Sebastian Bakare, have agreed to stick to the different worshiping times previously set out by the High Court. This was as a result of a meeting between the two factions and the two Home Affairs Ministers, to discuss violence affecting the church. But Bakare said it could not be described as a new agreement because it only confirmed an earlier judgment. In January 2008 Justice Rita Makarau ruled that the two groups share premises until such time as the dispute over the property was resolved. But clashes became prevalent most Sunday’s, as Kunonga’s small but violent group of followers, with help from the police, prevented Bakare’s people from worshipping.

Improved internet access expected as 3G services approved
The country’s biggest mobile phone operator, Econet Wireless, is reported to have secured frequencies for its 3G service from the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ). Econet purchased the equipment 2 years ago but had been waiting to get the 3G frequencies from POTRAZ. The new Information Communication Technology Minister Nelson Chamisa has now instructed the regulator to make the frequencies available and allow the networks to expand their services.

Lawyers file another Court bail application for political detainees
Human rights lawyers defending the political detainees who have been in police custody since December last year, filed yet another urgent bail application in the High Court Tuesday. This was a day after the Supreme Court upheld a High Court decision denying bail to MDC officials Chris Dhlamin and Gandhi Mudzingwa, plus freelance journalist Shadreck Manyere. The new bail hearing will be on Thursday. Arnold Tsunga, the Africa Programme Director for the International Commission of Jurists, said this case exposes the fact that the coalition government still has a long way to go in terms of ensuring that the organs of the State operate in a manner that is accountable and that ensures effective separation of powers.

Civil groups slammed for ignoring violence against Anglicans
Civil groups have been criticised for their silence over the state sponsored violence rocking the Anglican Church. Thugs aligned to ex-communicated Bishop Nolbert Kunonga, with the help of a partisan police force, have for months been blocking genuine parishioners from using their church premises. This is despite the High Court ordering a sharing of the churches, until such time as the dispute over property is resolved. Human rights academic Pedzisai Ruhanya criticized civil society groups saying they have not spoken out in defence of the religious rights of parishioners who are loyal to Bishop Sebastian Bakare, the man now recognized as Harare’s Bishop by the Anglican Church worldwide.

Seven arrested after NUST university demo over fees
Seven students were arrested at the National University of Science and Technology in Bulawayo on Monday following a demonstration over fees pegged in foreign currency. According to our correspondent Lionel Saungweme the students were being held at Bulawayo Central Police Station. Police allege the group stoned a car belonging to a visitor on campus during the demonstration. ZINASU President Clever Bere said he was unaware of the stoning incident but confirmed that students are not happy with the exorbitant fees which are pegged in foreign currency and beyond the means of most parents.

Farm worker in critical condition after violent Chegutu invasion
A Chegutu farming family has been left shaken after spending the weekend defending their farm from land invaders, who viciously beat several staff members and left one of them in a critical condition. On Friday afternoon, Ben Freeth and his family came under siege by a group of roughly fifteen invaders, who arrived on their Mount Carmel farm and announced that the family had five minutes to leave the property. The invasion turned violent on Saturday night when the thugs returned and assaulted six of the family’s farm workers. One worker is still in a critical condition in hospital, while another seven have been locked up on charges that have been described as ‘ludicrous’.

Farmers under siege as Didymus Mutasa implicated in attacks
The renewed campaign against the country’s remaining commercial farmers continued unabated on Friday with a fresh farm attack. On Friday Chegutu farmer Ben Freeth and his family came under siege by a group of roughly fifteen invaders who arrived on their Mount Carmel farm and gave the family 5 minutes to leave. .

Civil Society says government not focused on change
In late February key civic groups in Zimbabwe established an independent Civil Society Monitoring Mechanism, which is looking into the implementation of the Global Political Agreement. Next week the group will launch its first monthly monitoring report, which will help the general public understand the political process so far, in order for people to demand accountability in an informed manner.

Missing journalist Kudzai Musengi released after abduction
A Gweru-based freelance journalist who was abducted on Tuesday by suspected members of the CIO was eventually released Wednesday evening. Three unknown men bundled Kudzai Musengi into their car and blindfolded him, before speeding off to a bushy area where they subjected him to intense interrogations. His captors accused him of covering stories on the ongoing farm invasions on behalf of Voice of America’s Studio 7.

ZANU PF farm invader arrested
A staunch ZANU PF stalwart who instigated, and in most cases led, violent farm attacks against sugarcane farmers in the Lowveld for almost a decade, has been arrested. Admore Hwarare, the chairman of the Commercial Sugar Farmers Association of Zimbabwe, along with two top officials within the association, were all arrested this week for embezzling hundreds of thousands of US dollars from other members of the sugar association.

Outcry as Zimbabwe cabinet prepares for Vic Falls retreat
Desperate civil servants are up in arms over poor salaries, prisoners are dying every day from starvation in the prisons and the entire nation is still reeling under the economic collapse that has crippled all essential services, including health and water. But barely two months have passed and the government has planned a weekend retreat in the resort town of Victoria Falls.

UN human rights commissioner set to visit Zimbabwe
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Judge Navanethem Pillay, set herself on a collision course with Mugabe in February when she voiced concern over the disappearance of MDC officials, the use of torture to extract false confessions and the lack of human rights. After this the authorities blocked efforts by her team to visit the country for a fact finding mission.