Job Sikhala arrested and tortured
Job Sikhala, the leader of the MDC-99, has been beaten and tortured in police custody, after being arrested on Friday. Spokesman Aaron Muzungu said Sikhala was tortured using electrical cables and beaten with an iron bar, which dislocated his pelvis.

Security presence intensifies ahead of anti-Mugabe march
The loyal ZANU PF security forces intensified their presence in Harare Monday, ahead of the planned public protest against Mugabe’s regime.

Magistrate fails to show up in “Egypt protest” activists case
Munyaradzi Gwisai and 44 activists arrested on 19th February for watching videos of protests in Egypt and Tunisia, will spend a 10th night in custody after the trial magistrate failed to turn up.

Report says Iran in secret uranium talks with Zimbabwe
The Associated Press news agency has said they received an intelligence report Tuesday showing that Zimbabwe is a focus in Iran’s global search for uranium, to sustain its controversial nuclear programme.

Condemnation grows over detention of activists
There is growing condemnation of the ongoing detention of the activists arrested a week ago, for watching TV footage of the revolution in Egypt.

Civil service audit awaits cabinet debate before release
Public Service Minister Eliphas Mukonoweshuro has told SW Radio Africa that a civil service audit, commissioned to expose ghost workers on the government payroll, still awaits cabinet deliberation before it can be made public.

ZESA increase blocked by government
Zimbabweans received some welcome news for a change this week when it was announced that the 30 percent increase in electricity charges, recently announced by the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA), had been blocked by the government.

Zimbabwean army helping Gaddafi in Libya
Speculation that members of the National Army are in Libya to help prop up cornered dictator Gaddafi, is growing, following Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa's avoidance in giving a straight answer to a question posed in Parliament.

Rights groups demand release of TV-watching activists
Human rights group have slammed the treatment of a group of 45 activists, who are facing treason charges for watching TV footage of Egypt’s revolution, and have called for their immediate release.

SA mediation team meets political parties……. again
Representatives from the three main political parties briefed the mediation team of South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma in Harare Wednesday, about the continuing violence and conditions necessary to hold free and fair elections.

MDC-T complains to ZBC
The MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has launched a complaint against the state controlled ZBC, following a recent surge in criticism and a blackout of its officials by the broadcaster.

Mwonzora’s arrest stalls progress in COPAC
The MDC-T MP for Nyanga North, Douglas Mwonzora, is being held at Mutare remand prison, amid reports that his incarceration is a deliberate attempt by ZANU PF to stall progress on a new constitution.

African Bishops appeal to SADC over Zim elections
Catholic bishops from Southern African countries have appealed to SADC to oversee the development of a roadmap for peaceful elections in Zimbabwe, saying that elections at this stage would be dangerously premature.

Anger as Zim ministers snub civil society in SA
Ministers Theresa Makone and Kembo Mohadi met with their South African counterpart, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on Tuesday, to discuss the Zimbabwean government’s failure to issue passports to citizens in South Africa.

Zim gets more time to roll out passports in SA
Zimbabwe has been granted more time to roll out passports to its citizens in South Africa, where an estimated 60 000 nationals are waiting for the documents in order to regularise their stay there.

Zims urged to follow Egypt, Tunisia & Libya’s lead
Various campaigns hoping to defy Mugabe’s clampdown on civic action have been launched, trying to encourage Zimbabweans to follow the lead of other African countries protesting against their dictators.

Police dismiss corruption allegations against Chombo
The combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) has reacted with fury to police comments that corruption allegations against Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo are ‘nothing but media hype.’ CHRA recently filed charges against Chombo for fraudulently acquiring vast tracts of land.

ZAPU prepares to ‘repossess’ properties from government
ZAPU is putting together a court case to claim back properties it says belong to its organisation, but were wrongfully taken away by the ZANU PF regime in the 1980s. The properties were acquired by demobilisation payments, creating projects meant to sustain freedom fighters returning from the struggle for independence in the early eighties.

Anglican Bishops fearful after brutal murder and death threats
Anglican bishops in Zimbabwe are appealing for police protection, after being warned of plans to kill them as a power struggle with a rival pro-ZANU PF bishop deepens. Their plea for help comes after one of their church members was brutally murdered last week.

Mwonzora & 24 MDC activists granted bail, but remain jailed
The MDC-T MP for Nyanga North, Douglas Mwonzora, who is facing charges of instigating political violence, was on Monday granted $50 bail by a Nyanga magistrate.

Mugabe’s absences delaying drafting of election roadmap
Robert Mugabe’s long absence from work in the last two months has delayed the final drafting of the electoral roadmap. President Jacob Zuma’s facilitation team has since December failed to pin him down for an appointment, according to sources

State media attacks Biti over diamond probe
Finance Minister Tendai Biti has come under attack this week by the state media, after announcing he was ordering a probe into the missing millions from diamond sales.

Survey reveals increase in internet use in Zimbabwe
Twenty four percent of adults living in urban centres are now using the internet, according to the latest Zimbabwe All Media Products and Services Survey (ZAMPS). The figure represents a 2 percent increase in the last 3 months alone.

ZESA announces 30% increase in electricity charges
Charges for electricity have gone up again for struggling Zimbabweans, this time by a shocking 30 percent.

High Court rules that Mutambara is not MDC president
Arthur Mutambara’s attempts to regain control of the smaller MDC faction took a knock Wednesday, when the High Court ruled that he cannot ‘purport’ to be president of the party until the leadership dispute is resolved in court.

Tsvangirai threatens boycott of ‘rushed’ election
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has threatened to boycott a rushed election this year, arguing it was important to create conditions for a free and fair election first.

ZANU PF plan to give flea markets to supporters only
It’s been reported that vending stalls at all flea markets around the country will soon be given to ZPF supporters only, according to a plan announced by party spokesperson, Rugare Gumbo. A report in the Newsday paper quoted Gumbo saying this was part of the indigenous empowerment programme.

Journalists blocked from attending Tsvangirai’s address
Journalists have expressed their frustration after many were blocked from attending a ‘public’ address by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. The PM was addressing a Forum in Harare, where he said the coalition government was not worth celebrating.

COPAC co-chair Mwonzora to spend second night in custody
Douglas Mwonzora, the MDC-T MP for Nyanga North who was arrested outside Parliament in Harare on Tuesday, has now been transferred to Nyanga, where he’s likely to faces charges of inciting violence.

Miss Zimbabwe pageant turned into ZANU PF rally
The Miss Tourism Zimbabwe pageant that took place in Harare on Saturday is reported to have been turned into a ZANU PF gathering, complete with top party officials and military escorts.

EU extends targeted sanctions on Zimbabwe’s ruling elite
The European Union on Tuesday extended targeted sanctions on Robert Mugabe and his cronies for another year, but removed 35 people from the list.
NB: The BBC has reported that among the 35 people removed from the targeted sanctions list are several spouses of Mugabe's allies - including the wives of Central Bank Governor Gideon Gono and Mugabe’s spokesman, George Charamba.

Mugabe’s poor health crippling government business
Mounting health problems for Robert Mugabe have limited the number of times the country’s cabinet has met to discuss important national issues.

Harare police attempt to block WOZA demo
Police on Tuesday tried to block a peaceful demonstration by WOZA, who were attempting to hand over a list of demands to parliament.

WOZA condemns members arrests, ZANU PF militia terror
Two members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise were arrested Monday during a Valentine’s Day anti-violence protest that was supported by up to 1,000 members in different parts of Bulawayo.

Biti blocks funding for Mugabe scholarship scheme
A faction of the Zimbabwe National Students Union has praised Finance Minister Tendai Biti for delivering a ‘classic Valentine’s Day victory,’ by blocking Treasury from funding the controversial Presidential Scholarship Scheme.

Mugabe in Singapore for eye checks
Robert Mugabe is reported to be in Singapore for a medical review this week following a common eye operation he underwent last month.

SA court says detention of Zim asylum seekers unlawful
A South African court has criticised the Home Affairs Department’s practice of arresting and detaining asylum seekers, without verifying their status or allowing them access to the refugee system.

Amnesty calls for security and media reforms to end abuses
The global human rights group, Amnesty International, on Friday urged the unity government in Zimbabwe to take immediate action to end the ongoing human rights abuses, and to urgently reform the security and media institutions in the country.

Zimbabwe marks second anniversary of unity government
Two years ago to this day, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC party took the political risk of their lives and joined a unity government with Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party.

Uproar over Zimbabwe platinum deal with China
China’s Foreign Minister, Yang Jiechi, was due in Harare on Thursday amid reports his country is to inject US$10 billion into Zimbabwe’s economy.

Madhuku clarifies confusion over GPA timetable
Friday is the second anniversary of the formation of the unity government and some people have said it only had a life of 2 years. But the chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly, Dr Lovemore Madhuku, said no deadline was set in the agreement.

Global condemnation of ZANU PF’s ongoing violence campaign
Global calls for an end to ZANU PF sponsored violence dominated news reports on Zimbabwe on Thursday. Civic groups and foreign envoys blamed ZANU PF for the ongoing violence and said the police were politically biased, but the state run press published a denial.

Furious Tsvangirai hits back at Herald ‘outright lies’
Prime Minister Tsvangirai has hit out at the ‘continued publication of malicious and defamatory stories’ by the state owned Herald newspaper.

Parliament urged to investigate political violence
Advocacy group, the Centre for Development, has called on Parliament to investigate the ongoing violence that has rocked the country since the beginning of the year.

Report showing decline in Aids rate ‘too simplistic’
A new study which concludes that Zimbabwe has experienced a huge decline in the rate of HIV infection over the last decade, has been criticized by observers as ‘too simplistic’.

Kasukuwere fingered as being behind Harare violence
Saviour Kasukuwere, the ZANU PF Minister of Youth, Indigenisation and Empowerment, was on Tuesday exposed as the man behind the violent mob which nearly brought the capital to a standstill on Monday.

Hundreds of MDC members displaced in Harare
Hundreds of MDC members were on Tuesday seeking refuge at the party’s Harvest House headquarters, after fleeing ZANU PF attacks in Mbare and Epworth.

Police stand-by as ZANU PF youths seize Bulawayo flats
Police stood-by as ZANUP PF youths in Bulawayo temporarily took over an apartment block while chanting indigenisation slogans.

‘Mugabe can stop violence if he wants to’ says Theresa Makone
Co-Home Affairs Minister Theresa Makone on Friday said if Robert Mugabe addressed the nation following political disturbances, and ordered the police to arrest the perpetrators, it would end.

Zuma welcomes ambassador chosen by Mugabe
South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma on Thursday warmly welcomed the disputed Zimbabwe ambassador, unilaterally appointed by Mugabe, in a move that analysts say further undermines his efforts to mediate in Zimbabwe’s political crisis.

Jailed MDC youths denied food and treatment
The MDC-T say their youth supporters who have been in custody at Mbare Police Station since their arrest Monday, were denied food and medical treatment. 9 members of the Mbare Youth Assembly were arrested after ZANU PF youths attacked their offices, injuring members and destroying property.

UN investigating Zim-Ivory Coast arms trade claims
The United Nations is said to be investigating claims that Zimbabwe has sent weapons to the Ivory Coast, a move that analysts fear is a warning sign of renewed civil war there. The UK Sunday Times reported last month that the Zimbabwe government transferred arms to the Ivory Coast’s decade long ruler Laurent Gbagbo’s administration.

Farmers arrested after ZANU PF led land invasion
Two farmers from Makoni South were released from jail on Wednesday, after being arrested while trying to stop the illegal invasion of their farm by ZANU PF members and war vets.

Gono’s adviser has Harare resident arrested
Police last week Thursday arrested Roger Stringer, a resident in the Harare suburb of Mount Pleasant, following accusations of ‘criminal defamation’ filed by Dr Munyaradzi Kereke, an advisor to Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono.

MDC slams SA’s acceptance of Mugabe’s ambassador
The MDC in South Africa has slammed the country’s acceptance of the Zimbabwean ambassador, appointed unilaterally by Mugabe, saying the move will “weaken” President Jacob Zuma’s mediation efforts in Zimbabwe.

Zim political climate driving up cost of living
New figures released by the National Statistical Agency show that the cost of living in the country has gone up by 8%. Economic analyst, Tony Hawkins, said the economic decline is a political issue.