MDC notifies SADC of deadlock in GPA talks
The MDC-T on Friday accused ZANU PF of ‘logjamming the Global Political Agreement talks,’ and called for renewed SADC mediation between the two political parties. MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said ZANU PF is the main cause of the deadlock in talks. He said a message has been sent to SADC informing them that talks between the two parties were ‘as good as dead’ after ZANU PF indicated they would not concede to any further demands from the MDC.

Zimbabwe’s blind voters win constitutional case
The Supreme Court made a landmark ruling on Thursday nullifying a section of the Electoral Act, which prescribed that blind people were required to vote in the presence of a police officer, a presiding officer and other election officers. In an application submitted to the Supreme Court by Masimba Kuchera and five others, the court declared Section 60 of the Electoral Act unlawful, saying it contravened the constitution of Zimbabwe.

Arrested farmers remain behind bars
Two farmers, who were arrested over an ongoing land battle in Chipinge, are set to remain behind bars until Saturday, when they will appear in court in Mutare. The pair was transferred to Mutare Prison on Friday after spending a night behind bars in Chipinge. Their arrest on Thursday was in connection with the conviction earlier this week of four other Chipinge farmers for refusing to vacate ‘state’ land.

ZANU PF says ‘No more GPA concessions’ until sanctions lifted
The inter-party negotiations were dealt another serious blow on Wednesday when ZANU PF’s Politburo, said there will be no more GPA concessions until the sanctions have been lifted. ZANU PF says recent remarks by British Foreign Secretary David Miliband that sanctions would be removed at MDC’s request ‘exposed MDC-T’s treacherous role in the initiation and drafting of the illegal sanctions'.

Tsvangirai ready to ‘talk tough’ over GPA talks
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is ready to ‘talk tough’ and make a firm decision over the fate of his party’s involvement in the inclusive government. It follows the decision of ZANU PF’s politburo meeting on Wednesday which declared it would not be giving in to further concessions in talks with MDC until targeted sanctions imposed by Western nations are lifted.

Two farmers arrested over Chipinge land fight
Two farmers were arrested on Thursday over an ongoing land battle in Chipinge, where four other farmers have been convicted of refusing to vacate ‘state’ land. Algernon Taffs, Mr Z.F Joubert, Mike Odendaal and Mike Jahme were all ordered to leave their properties this week after being convicted of refusing to leave their properties.

Key state witness exonerates Bennett in terrorism plot
An attempt by the state to use the testimony of an arms dealer, wrongfully imprisoned over 3 years ago, is spectacularly backfiring in the High Court. On Wednesday Peter Hitschmann told the court that MDC Treasurer-General Roy Bennett was not involved in any terrorism plot against Mugabe’s regime.

Pressure mounts on Zuma to act on Zimbabwe
South African President Jacob Zuma is coming under increasing pressure to help break the political deadlock in Zimbabwe. Despite claims by the partners in the power sharing government that progress was being made, Finance Minister Tendai Biti told journalists in Washington DC on Tuesday that the shaky coalition could collapse if fundamental outstanding issues are not addressed.

Outrage as high court dismisses SADC land ruling
The shock decision this week by the High Court to dismiss a 2008 regional ruling on the unlawful land ‘reform’ programme has sparked an angry outcry, with some observers calling it a ‘travesty of justice’. Justice Patel on Tuesday dismissed a finding by the SADC Tribunal which ruled that Mugabe’s land grab campaign was unlawful.

Human rights group says MDC ‘shielding’ ZANU PF
International rights group Human Rights Watch has accused the MDC of shielding the abuses being committed by ZANU PF, in an attempt to sustain the shaky coalition government. The New York based group released a report noting that the advent of the power sharing government had failed to stop human rights abuses, and they said the new government had failed to repeal or amend any of the repressive laws.

Four farmers evicted by courts as land takeover continues
Four Chipinge commercial farmers have all been ordered to immediately vacate their properties or face a jail term, as the state’s takeover of farms continues. Magistrate Samuel Dzuze on Tuesday found all four farmers guilty of refusing to leave their properties and in separate judgements sentenced them to pay US$800 fines and immediately vacate their properties.

MDC denies suspending Eddie Cross
The MDC has denied a Herald story which said Bulawayo South MP Eddie Cross, had been suspended from the party, over allegations of indiscipline. Meanwhile, it’s reported that Cross may be targeted by some of his colleagues in the MDC because he is one of those demanding a full investigation into corruption. He told SW Radio Africa that the MDC were not all ‘angels’ and said there were some people accumulating assets in the MDC, and that it was important to know where they were getting them from.

MDC-T wants talks referred to SADC for arbitration
Senior figures in the MDC-T last week Friday asked its party leadership to refer the Global Political Agreement talks to SADC because they don’t believe the negotiators can break the current impasse.

Hitschmann impeached in Bennett trial
High Court Justice Chinembiri Bhunu impeached State key witness Peter Hitschmann on Monday, in the terrorism trial of MDC Treasurer General Roy Bennett. The State, represented by Attorney General Johannes Tomana, sought to show the court that the firearms dealer had departed from a sworn statement and was now ‘hostile’ to their case.

ZANU PF official boasts he has authority to kill MDC activists
An aspiring ZANU PF MP shocked party activists on Friday last week when he told them he had ‘authority and an open licence’ to eliminate opponents from the MDC. Nathaniel Punish Mhiripiri told a ZANU PF meeting at Jani resettlement area in Makoni South that he alone in the area was allowed to kill in the name of ZANU PF.

Constitutional Affairs Minister denies outreach 'suspended'
Minister Eric Matinenga has denied reports claiming the constitutional outreach programme had been ‘suspended’ over bickering between the political parties. On Wednesday ZANU PF’s Paul Mangwana, co-chair of the Constitutional Parliamentary Committee, told the state owned Herald that there were disagreements over the rapporteurs.

Rusape farmer arrested after week of harassment
A farmer who has endured more than a week of threats by land invaders was arrested Friday, for refusing to leave his farm. Koos Smit and his family had been locked inside their home after a mob of youths invaded the property last week Tuesday. The youths cut off electricity and water to the farm to try flush the family out. The gang packed up their makeshift campThursday but the good news was short lived, when Koos Smit was arrested Friday.

Speaker of parliament challenged over media commission nominees
Harare publishing consultant Roger Stringer has sent a protest letter to Lovemore Moyo, the Speaker of Parliament, asking for an explanation of the process used to select nominees for appointment to the Zimbabwe Media Commission. Stringer had been one of the independent candidates who reportedly passed the first selection process, but then had his name removed to pave way for pro-ZANU PF individuals who had failed to make it into the first 12.

Talks adjourned again
Negotiations between the partners in the shaky coalition government resumed Wednesday, but were adjourned after sitting for just one evening. Talks are expected to begin again within the next two weeks.

Constitutional outreach programme suspended
Efforts to draw up a new constitution have received another blow as the committee tasked to drive the process announced it had suspended the outreach programme, indefinitely.

Air force officer leads ‘Kariba draft’ campaign in Manicaland
A senior airforce of Zimbabwe officer is one of several military officers leading a campaign to force villagers in Manicaland to attend ZANU PF meetings.

Talks resume Wednesday evening
The negotiators in the power sharing government finally met Wednesday for talks, for the first time this year, after a number of delays caused by ZANU PF. Welshman Ncube, a negotiator from the MDC-M, said that the talks failed to restart at the weekend because ZANU PF negotiator Nicholas Goche was out of the country, even though it had been agreed that the talks would start at the weekend.

Armed soldiers and militias force villagers to adopt Kariba draft
Gun-totting soldiers are reported to be roaming villages in Masvingo and Manicaland provinces, threatening people with reprisal if they do not support the Kariba draft during the forthcoming constitution outreach programme. SW Radio Africa received reports Wednesday that ZANU PF militias and some headman were helping the soldiers terrorise villagers.

Zim faces more suspension threats over diamond abuses
The World Diamond Council has threatened to push for Zimbabwe’s suspension from the Kimberley Process, the international diamond trade watchdog, if an acceptable export monitor is not in place in the country soon. Zimbabwe last month rejected a British diamond expert, proposed by the EU, as the first monitor to oversee the export of diamonds from the country for the next six months.

MDC leadership to meet over delays in GPA talks
The top leadership of the MDC is to convene an urgent meeting to review the party’s position in the Global Political Agreement talks. The talks have failed to take off twice in the last four days due to a no-show from the ZANU PF negotiators. The MDC standing committee, known as ‘the top 12’, will meet in the next few days to look at the state of the negotiations since talks broke off in December last year.

Police officer who threatened journalist with death, named
The senior police officer who allegedly threatened journalist Stanley Kwenda with death has been revealed as the notorious Assistant Commissioner, Chrispen Makedenge, whose name is linked with abductions and torture of opponents of the ZANU PF regime.

Journalist arrested for filming WOZA demo
Freelance photo-journalist Shadreck Andrison Manyere, plus two other people, were arrested in Harare Monday after police broke up a peaceful demonstration by Women of Zimbabwe Arise. WOZA was protesting against exorbitant school fees and the crumbling education sector.

Invaded Rusape farming family in crisis
Concerns have been raised about the welfare of a Rusape farming family, barricaded inside their home by land invaders who have cut off their electricity and water supplies and denied them access to their livestock, which is also suffering. Koos Smit and his family have faced a worsening crisis on their De Rust tobacco farm after it was invaded by a mob of youths, reportedly working for a ZANU PF official known only as Mr Mukomo.

Latest round of GPA talks resume on Saturday
Party negotiators to the Global Political Agreement are expected to resume talks Saturday, amid growing public pessimism that the latest round of negotiations will finally lead to a deal. A highly placed source in the MDC said he did not expect a ‘breakthrough’.

Govt leaders urged to publicly denounce political violence
The three principals in the unity government are being urged to publicly denounce political violence, in order to reassure Zimbabweans that they will not be victimised for expressing their views on the constitution.

Police arrest 25 students over Bindura University demo
The students were arrested Thursday after a demonstration over exorbitant tuition fees which have resulted in at least 40 percent of students being denied access to write exams. 850 students were denied access to write exams after the university demanded payment of outstanding fees, which the students cannot afford to pay.

Zimbabwe to be sued over ongoing seizures of SA farms
South African civil rights initiative AfriForum has won a High Court bid allowing them to sue the Zimbabwean government over land invasions on South African owned farms in Zimbabwe. Legal papers will now be served on Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Attorney General Johannes Tomana next week.

Judge slams prosecution in Bennett’s case
High Court Judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu on Wednesday dismissed an application by the State to impeach its key witness, Peter Michael Hitschmann, after he distanced himself from statements implicating Roy Bennett in a plot to overthrow the ZANU PF government.

MDC takes tough stance on ongoing land attacks
The MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has this week taken a tough stance on the ongoing land attacks, slamming ZANU PF for allowing the ‘anarchy’ to continue. Party spokesperson Nelson Chamisa told SW Radio Africa on Wednesday that the ‘divisive’ land issue under the guise of so-called ‘land reform’ could be added to the party’s list of outstanding issues in the Global Political Agreement.

State moves to impeach own witness in Bennett trial
The terrorism trial of MDC Treasurer General Roy Bennett took a new twist when it re-opened in the High Court Tuesday. The State’s key witness, Peter Hitschmann, distanced himself from a statement he made when he was arrested in 2006 that implicated the MDC official.

More farmers in Rusape handed eviction notices
Five more farmers in Rusape have been given notice to leave their properties. South African Antoinette Grobler in the Nyazura district, is just one of the farmers who have been told by Lands Ministry officials that their properties have been earmarked for takeover.

Economist says financial recovery programme unrealistic
Leading Zimbabwean economist John Robertson has argued that government’s Short Term Economic Recovery Programme document deliberately ignores the real cause of the country’s economic crisis. He says the plan acknowledged the need for international aid but fails to show how the mistakes of the past era have been addressed.

UK urged to stop funding ‘failing’ unity government
The British government is set to come under pressure to lead the way in Europe, by not sending developmental aid to the coalition government, until the full implementation of the Global Political Agreement. UK based protest group The Vigil said the UK would set the wrong precedent by ‘prematurely’ handing over developmental aid when there is no evidence of any real change.

UK mining firm warns of buying ‘stolen’ Chiadzwa diamonds
A London based mining firm which holds the legal rights to mine the Chiadzwa diamond fields, has warned international diamond traders that any stones bought from the mining site are ‘stolen goods’. African Consolidated Resources, which is in the middle of an ownership wrangle with the government over the Chiadzwa claim, was reacting to a planned auction of diamonds from Chiadzwa.

South African family forced to flee Rusape farm
A South African farming family, that has been threatened and harassed by land invaders since last weekend, has been forced off their land in Rusape, becoming the third family in the area to be evicted recently. Dolf du Toit, wife Alida and their son Rudolph, left the farm Thursday afternoon, after coming under siege by a mob of invaders over the weekend.

Villagers forced to attend ZANU PF rallies in Murehwa
Villagers in parts of Mashonaland East are still being forced to attend ZANU PF rallies, in spite of the new political dispensation that was supposed to usher in freedoms. SW Radio Africa received a report on Thursday from a concerned citizen who witnessed villagers being harassed when he recently visited his family in the Munamba area in Murehwa.

152 of 300 remaining commercial farmers under serious threat
There were at least 4 500 farmers in Zimbabwe before the government’s controversial land reform programme began in 2000, but now there are only an about 300 left. In the last 10 years an estimated one million farm workers have lost their jobs and their homes. The Commercial Farmers Union says it is also disturbed to learn that there is a target list of commercial farmers and that of the approximately 300 remaining commercial farmers countrywide, 152 are under imminent threat of losing their properties.

Farm invasions continue amid fears of military deployment
Farm attacks are continuing this New Year, amid very real fears that the military is being deployed on properties across the country in an effort to complete Mugabe’s so called land ‘reform’ programme. This weekend, a militia led onslaught on commercial farms in Rusape saw a local farming family come under siege, with two people being assaulted by a mob of land invaders.

Betty Makoni exonerated over fund looting
Two volunteers who helped raise money for a young girl who required surgery in the UK are being accused of ‘manufacturing’ false stories about the looting of the medical fund. Barbara Nyagomo Mambo and Munashe Moyo Godo started an internet campaign on Facebook to help raise £10,000 required for Tare Nomatter Mapungwana’s surgery.