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| Farms with ready harvests being taken by CIO and Ministers Last week vice president Musika added to his voice to that of reserve bank chairman Gideon Gono in warning officials who are taking commercial farms illegally to stop. Musika said that white commercial farmers should stay ..... |
Vendors turn on policeman
For weeks on end they were brutalised by heavily armed police units while their homes and vending stalls were destroyed during the government's operation Murambatsvina. In an amazing turning of the tables ..... |
Conditions at Lindela to be improved
Two Zimbabweans who died in July at the infamous Lindela holding camp in South Africa could have been saved if the centre had enough medical capacity. Home Affairs Nosiviwe Mapisa-Ngakula disclosed this....... |
MDC rebels face the heat
Rebel pro-senate candidates who defied opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai continue to face the heat from ordinary party supporters in the provinces. Willard Somerai the National Youth Organising Secretary in the M DChange says their rebellion has proved very unpopular. Ever since the close of the nomination courts they have not shown their faces in public.... |
Plan to oust Chitungwiza mayor
Unruly Zanu (PF) supporters on Monday stormed the offices of the Chitungwiza Town Council and barred the Mayor, Misheck Shoko from entering the premises. Fearing for his life, the Mayor was driven to a safe location. Busloads of ruling party supporters were ferried from......... |
Zimbabwe losing college graduates
Zimbabwean professionals have been fleeing to greener pastures for years now and as the economic deterioration has continued, students are already making plans to leave the country. A new survey has revealed.... |
MDC leaders fail to reach middle ground in heated meeting The MDC’s top officials held crisis talks in Harare on Thursday as they attempted to resolve their differences over participation in the senate elections next month. The meeting was mediated by political commentator professor Brian Raftopolous. |
Mugabe to restructure police force
It’s reported that Robert Mugabe has given his blessings to a proposed restructuring of the Zimbabwe Republic Police. This is designed to stuff the police hierarchy with trusted loyalists in preparation for his retirement in 2008. |
Bob Marley’s son blasts Mugabe
Twenty-five years after his Bob Marley played at Rufaro Stadium for the independence celebrations Damian Marley, his son, has released a 12-track album that has a song blasting Robert Mugabe. |
ICFTU
The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions has rated Zimbabwe the most repressive country in the sub-region, judging by its treatment of trade unions and their leadership. |
Students nationwide under siege
The President of the Zimbabwe National Association of Students Unions, Washington Katema says the level of victimization of student’s countrywide has reached alarming levels. |
MDC leaders to chart way forward
Some members of the top 6 are said to have met in Harare on Thursday although the meeting was held behind closed doors. This is the first time that members of the warring faction have met since the vote. |
Chitungwiza water reconnected
Water supplies to Chitungwiza town, which had been cut off by overzealous Zimbabwe National Water Authority officials, have now been reconnected. Town Mayor Misheck Shoko blasted Zinwa officials for their actions... |
Government drags its feet over Bulawayo water shortage
The government has been accused of dragging its feet over declaring Bulawayo a water shortage area. Officials in the local authority said such a declaration would enable the council to suspend or amend water permits and control water usage. |
Poachers brutally attack game scout in the lowveld
Three A1 settlers attacked a game scout who was checking for snares at a ranch outside Chiredzi last week. The scout, sadly infected by HIV, was on light duty due to ill health when he bumped into the 3 who thought he was looking for poachers. |
Zim meets Iran
Iranian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Hamid Moayer and Zimbabwe's Foreign Minister Mubengegwei Simbarashe met Thursday to discuss matters of ‘bilateral concern.’ This on the same day that an international news storm erupted over Iran’s President calling for Israel to be ‘wiped off the map.’ |
Taiwan connection to MDC
Taiwan has denied allegations by the MDC’s Job Sikhala that they were one of three countries who funded the MDC. |
Charges against journalists dropped
44 journalists from the banned Daily News who were facing allegations of working without accreditation had the charges dropped by the state. Legal experts say the acquittal of Kelvin Jakachira on similar charges had set a precedent on the case. |
| 22 Zimbabweans lashed and deported from Botswana Police in Botswana are intensifying efforts to contain the number of Zimbabwean immigrants jumping across the border. Last Thursday 22 Zimbabweans were lashed and deported after they were arrested. |
Courts closed as water crisis arrests ministry of justice
Prisoners, witnesses and judges in Harare all became victims of the continuing water crisis that has gripped the entire country. The High Court and other ministry of justice buildings at Rotten Row had no water on Wednesday. |
Sikhala denies accusing MDC of taking bribes
The MDC MP for St Mary’s Job Sikhala denies statements about MDC leaders receiving illegal funding. |
Last chance saloon for MDC
With prophets of doom predicting a split in the opposition, it is gradually emerging that both sides have realized they cannot do without each other and are making efforts to patch up their differences. |
Violence dividing MDC
Elections in Zimbabwe seem to always bring an escalation of violence, usually ZANU-PF supporters and state agents attacking opposition candidates. But the senate elections due next month have brought allegations of a different type of violence. |
MDC provinces disown senate candidates
10 out of 12 MDC provinces have said they did not submit candidates for the senate poll nominations. It’s alleged that those who did so were imposters bussed in at the last hour. |
Inflation set to soar
The inevitable happened Tuesday when the official Zimbabwe dollar rate plunged by 66 percent on the recently launched inter-bank market. Last week the Reserve Bank announced a managed floating exchange rate which would determine the rate of exchange |
Tsvangirai to respond to crisis
MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai is considering a number of options to deal with the worst crisis ever to rock the party in its six years of existence. This was said by his spokesman William Bango on Tuesday. |
Mat MDC submit papers
The rebellion within the opposition took a tribal dimension with 15 unknown candidates in Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and... |
Link to dispute over foreign funding
MP for St Mary’s Job Sikhala has accused the MDC of fighting over funds received from 2 foreign states. |
MDC legal expert says senate candidates not approved
Legal expert and Secretary for Home Affairs in the MDC, Tendai Biti says all candidates who filed their nomination papers for senate elections under the banner of the MDC have done so outside its constitution. |
Analyst says MDC divisions based on class not tribe
The crisis in the MDC, which seems to be split along ethnic lines, has opened old sentiments about tribal divisions. Political Commentator Professor Mukasa disagrees, saying this is not a tribal but class split. |
Senate reactions
The Birmingham MDC Branch in the UK have said they stand by President Morgan Tsvangirai’s decision not to participate in the Senate Elections. |
Rebellion set to crumble
The turn of events follows countrywide campaigns by the MDC leader who campaigned vigorously against participation. |
| ZESN says senate elections rigged Matshaba-Hove has described how Zanu (PF) has manipulated the forthcoming senate election to ensure it emerges victorious without putting much of a sweat. |
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Gukurahundi graves located
Fifteen years after an estimated 25 000 Ndebele villagers were massacred by Robert Mugabe’s notorious army unit, the Fifth Brigade, local human rights officials have embarked on a programme to identify hundreds of mass graves containing the remains of the victims. |
Gono relaxes foreign exchange
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has relaxed foreign exchange controls. This means the Zimbabwe dollar will be able to trade freely... |
Leo buys judge
Officials in the justice ministry have revealed that the judge dealing with Robert Mugabe’s nephew Leo, arrested Tuesday on allegations of smuggling scarce flour.. |
Mugabe’s nephew arrested
Leo Mugabe was arrested Tuesday on allegations of smuggling scarce flour to neighbouring Mozambique. The Makonde North legislator exported 600 bags of flour worth a staggering Z$500 billion (US$7m). |
US Congress irritated by Mugabe
The powerful US Congress wants an answer from UN secretary-general Koffi Annan as to why the world body continues to give Robert Mugabe a platform, which he always uses to attack George Bush and Tony Blair. |
MDC Spokesman responds to Tsvangirai Reacting to accusations by the MDC president that vote buying and self interests swung the senate vote when the national council met last week, Paul Temba Nyathi said he is distressed and very unhappy at remarks of that nature. |
Zim continues to slide down press freedom index In the latest report from Reporters Without Borders, the country is now ranked 153 on the 167 country index. The Paris based organization says u njust laws and repressive governments are holding back many countries including Zimbabwe. |
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Gukurahundi graves located
Fifteen years after an estimated 25 000 Ndebele villagers were massacred by Robert Mugabe’s notorious army unit, the Fifth Brigade, local human rights officials have embarked on a programme to identify hundreds of mass graves containing the remains of the victims. |
Chombo and Hopley farm
A resident at Hopley told us that the militia had already started identifying suspected MDC supporters and intimidating them. They arrived Wednesday morning and are going around arousing fear in these already vulnerable people. |
Labour leader in handcuffs
The MDC leader of the Women’s Assembly and General Secretary of the Commercial Workers Union, Lucia Matibenga was on Wednesday arrested on unknown charges by police in Gweru. |
| MDC vice president says Tsvangirai breached constitution Gibson Sibanda has added his voice to the chaos that is taking place in the opposition party. |
| Chief fined for detaining MDC candidate The ongoing election petitions continue to deliver drama but no real legal victories. . |
Namibian opposition MPs
Robert Mugabe is allegedly planning to acquire a N$15 million luxury double storey mansion in Windhoek, Namibia, and is rumoured to already possess several other properties in the country. |
WOZA women on tour
On Wednesday the brave Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) began the UK leg of their European tour sponsored by the human rights watchdog Amnesty International. |
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Heath Streak retires
Zimbabwe Cricket has been plunged into crisis after national team players demanded the reinstatement of coach Phil Simmons, who was dismissed two months ago. |
Tsvangirai on senate vote
The MDC President has alleged that the outcome of the party’s decision over the Senate polls had already been pre-determined before the National Council met. |
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Election petition judgements
There is deep suspicion that under-hand political manoeuvres played a major part in the decision by High Court Judges not to nullify some disputed Zanu (PF) victories during the last March elections. |
Government blocking NGOs from feeding the hungry
The government’s paranoia about NGOs being involved in political activity is causing it to limit their feeding programmes in remote areas gripped by starvation. |
Zim asylum seeker deported
Just a day after an asylum immigration tribunal ruled that it was not safe to return failed cases to Zimbabwe, the home office in the UK used a Malawi loophole... |
US critical of African leaders
American Assistant Secretary of state Jendayi Frazer, has criticized African leaders for ‘looking away’ from the crisis engulfing Zimbabwe. |
Murambatsvina rubble removed
The shame and anger generated by Operation Murambatsvina came to the fore when armed police details had to escort front-end loaders and lorries carrying the remaining rubble . |
Media lawyer scoops prize
The Committee to Protect Journalists has named Zimbabwean lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa as one of the recipients of its International Press Freedom Awards. |
| Tsvangirai in emergency meeting MDC Morgan Tsvangirai has started to make moves to crush dissent in his party. It's reported that on Friday he wrote to the electoral commission formally informing it that the MDC will not contest next month's Senate elections. |
| Mugabe addresses food conference In yet another outrageous move the United Nations allowed Robert Mugabe to speak in Rome on Monday at a hunger conference marking the 60th anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organisation. |
| MDC activists arrested in Budiriro Eight MDC youths were arrested in Budiro after clashes with armed soldiers on Saturday evening. An MDC ward chairperson for Ward 4 in Budiriro, Emmanuel Chisvure, was at Glen View police station with Lawyer Alec Muchadehama to secure the release of the opposition youths, Monday. |
| Job losses due to wheat shortages Just a couple of weeks after National Foods shut down four milling plants because of wheat shortages, baking giant Lobels Bakeries has embarked on a retrenchment drive targeting half its workforce. The Standard newspaper says 100 out of a remaining 900 workers were retrenched in September. |
| MDC loses election petition in Bubi Mguza constituency More proof that the rule of law does not exist when High Court Judge Maphios Cheda on Monday dismissed the MDC election petition. The Judge admitted in Bulawayo that there was unfairness and the use of food as a campaign weapon by Zanu (PF) during the March Parliamentary elections. |
Mandaza suspension referred
A High court judge on Thursday ruled that the suspension of Ibbo Mandaza as chief executive officer of the Mirror Group of newspapers should be referred to a tribunal. |
MDC crisis deepens
Support for MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s call for a senate boycott continues to grow . A day after most civic leaders and academics confirmed their support... |
UK asylum tribunal rules Zim unsafe
Zimbabweans in the UK on Friday celebrated the ruling by an asylum and immigration tribunal that it was not safe to return failed applicants back home. |
U.S Ambassador detained
United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe Christopher Dell was on Monday briefly detained after he inadvertently entered a security zone..
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ZPF Councillor bans MISA meeting
Last Friday a meeting about community radio stations, organized by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), was banned by a ZANU-PF councilor in Dete |
Judge takes farm with offer letter
The ZimOnline news site reports that High Court judge Annie-Marie Gowora has taken over Helensvale Farm... |
Regional Solidarity Conference
On Thursday a regional grouping of civic society, labour organisations, student movements, health and developmental agencies... |
| Tsvangirai in emergency meeting It's reported that leader of the MDC Morgan Tsvangirai has started to make moves to crush dissent in his party. It's reported that on Friday he wrote to the electoral commission formally informing it that the MDC will not contest next month's Senate elections. Tsvangirai allegedly told the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) that anyone from the opposition party standing in the poll would be doing so in their individual capacity. |
MDC youth threaten action over Senate impasse The militant youth wing of the MDC has put its weight firmly behind a call to boycott the coming senate elections and has already begun sending circulars mobilizing its structures countrywide. National Chairman Nelson Chamisa says its unfortunate things have come to a head..... |
Shock as UN invites Mugabe to address food conference in Rome
The United States has expressed "amazement" at a United Nations invitation to Robert Mugabe to address a hunger conference in Rome on Monday to mark the 60th anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)....
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MDC to boycott senate elections
The opposition has decided not to participate in senate elections set for the 26 th of November this year. Party leader Morgan Tsvangirai made the announcement Wednesday at a press conference in Harare. |
Youth militia intimidating voters in door-to-door senate campaign
Residents in the high-density suburb of Mabvuku and other areas surrounding Harare report that the youth militia have been going door-to-door intimidating them to vote for the ruling party in the upcoming senate election. |
Shot victim accuses ZANU-PF MP
A Bulawayo High Court has been hearing evidence in the election petition in which the MDC’s Siyabonga Malandu Ncube is challenging the victory of ZANU-PF’s gun-totting MP Andrew Langa in the Matabeleland constituency of Insiza. |
University vice chancellor
Dr Hilda Marima-Matarira said she was physically and verbally brutalised by police in Harare when she was arrested on the 30 th September. The academic who said she was a political prisoner for 4 days, was arrested at gunpoint on charges of theft. |
Wheat shortages
National Foods’ Finance Director, John Pilgrim is reported to have written a letter to the Ministry of Industry and International Trade advising them of the plant closures in Harare and Bulawayo. The decision was made after the last 400 tonnes of wheat had been milled last Saturday. |
Mbare squatters eviction blocked
The court order means they are safe for now as it was obtained with the state lawyers’ consent. The squatters plan to file for permission to stay until they are provided with new housing, as promised by government, but so far no real construction has taken place. |
Soldiers sent home
Score of soldiers in Harare are said to be on forced leave to block unrest within the military. Our correspondent said discontent is rife in the army over salaries, work and living conditions. |
Farmer shot
Violence against the remaining white commercial farmers has gained momentum as a farmer was injured in a shooting in Harare South and evictions continued in Manicaland over the weekend. |
Mandaza loses bid in court
Dr Ibbo Mandaza the publisher of the Zimbabwe Mirror Group of Newspapers has lost his bid in the High Court, challenging his suspension as chairman. Mandaza was pushed out by the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO). |
South Africa to investigate ill-treatment of Zimbabwe refugees
Home Affairs minister Novisiwe Mapisa-Nqakula last week promised an investigation. Last month activists in South Africa took to the streets to demonstrate against the way Zimbabwe refugees were being treated. The activists handed over a petition to the minister pointing out a number of their concerns. |
Tyre manufacturers to shut down
820 workers will lose their jobs with a further 30 000 workers in downstream industries also facing an uncertain future after Dunlop Zimbabwe shut down operations. |
Robbing private companies
The debt ridden ZESA has reportedly paid its arrears with its counterparts in South Africa and Mozambique. The power utility is using the money taken from private companies by the Reserve Bank, to pay up its debt. |
ICC sends strong warning
The UN’s Special Representative from the DRC William Swing announced on October 6 that the ICC had issued arrest warrants for the Lord's Resistance Army leader Joseph Kony and four LRA commanders who committed atrocious crimes against civilians in Uganda. |
Early senate poll date
The MDC have said they are not worried by the early date for senate polls announced by government on Saturday. With the party’s National Council meetingWednesday to decide whether to field candidates or not, the setting of November 26 as election day is being viewed as a ploy by Zanu PF to exploit the perceived indecision by the MDC. |
Chitungwiza mayor speaks on water
The town of Chitungwiza has not been spared during the water shortages that have hit most of the country. Mayor Misheck Shoko said the town is receiving water from Harare on even numbered days only. |
Decision on UK deportations due
Judges hearing the Zimbabwe immigration case in the UK listened to final submissions from lawyers representing the Home office and those for the Legal Refugee Centre on Friday. They will take evidence presented by both sides and determine whether it is safe to return failed asylum cases to Zimbabwe. |
Highlanders players boycott training
There was drama at the Highlanders training ground in Bulawayo on Thursday when players walked off the pitch in protest of the late payment of their bonuses. Club chairman Kenny Ndebele was involved in a bust-up with the players after he castigated them for holding the club at ransom. |
Mugabe’s bodyguard demoted
News website Zimonline reports that Robert Mugabe’s senior bodyguard, Winston Changara, has been demoted on allegations of indecently assaulting Mugabe’s wife Grace. The website says Grace Mugabe reported advances from the policeman to her husband while also citing a separate case of indecent assault. |
Activists aim to stop Chinos
There has been an outcry from Zimbabweans at home and abroad over attempts by the self-styled war veteran Joseph Chinotimba to set up a fund to assist American victims of Hurricane Katrina, while people in his own country are starving. |
Date set for Senate poll
The date for controversial senate elections has now been set for November 26. State radio made the announcement on Saturday. The 66-seat upper house will consist of 50 elected members with five drawn from each of the 10 provinces. 10 tribal chiefs selected by a government appointed chiefs assembly also make up the chamber. Robert Mugabe will select the remaining six seats for what he terms 'special interest groups'. |
Deep disgruntlement in ZDF
MDC legislator and party spokesman for Defence, Giles Mutsekwa has confirmed there is deep disgruntlement within the Zimbabwe Defence Forces due to low salaries and poor working and living conditions. |
Farm evictions continuing
On 24 th September, Ministers Didymus Mutasa, Joseph Made and Patrick Chinamasa visited the Makoni district in Manicaland and told the remaining 40 farmers that only 15 would be permitted to continue farming. |
Police release MDC MP
Gilbert Shoko the MDC MP for Budiriro who was arrested for walking with 20 others was released without charge late Wednesday, after spending 12 hours in police custody. |
MDC to hold crucial rallies
The MDC has organised 2 rallies this coming weekend which they are saying are crucial in terms of deciding the way forward. The party has been holding consultative meetings in a countrywide campaign to get an idea from the people as to how they want to proceed. |
MDC MP arrested for walking
Only in Zimbabwe are people arrested for doing what is normal. We have reported on how people have been arrested for singing, praying or waving their hands. The latest addition to the list is walking! Walking in Zimbabwe Wednesday resulted in the detention of the MDC MP for Budiriro Gilbert Shoko and 20 others who were walking to work. |
IMF warns of collapse in Zimbabwe
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has issued a chilling warning that the country’s economy is in a state of collapse. IMF Directors disclosed in an annual report released in Washington on Tuesday that without a bold change in policy direction the economic outlook will remain bleak. |
UK asylum hearings begin after exiles protest repatriation
On Wednesday a UK immigration tribunal began looking at evidence in 2 asylum cases in order to produce what is known as a Country Guidance Report on Zimbabwe. The tribunal’s aim is to determine if it is risky to return failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe. |
Tribalism causing problems in exile
Zimbabweans living in exile have complained that tribalism is more of a problem in their communities than back home. Shona speakers in South Africa have said their Ndebele counterparts continually make reference to the Gukurahundi era and blame Mugabe’s murderous activities on them. |
Commission suspends more
Two senior managers were sent on forced leave on Tuesday as the illegal commission running Harare continued to purge those who oppose chairperson Sekesai Makwavarara. |
State media admits motives
The Herald has given legitimacy to a story published in the New African magazine, which says operation Murambatsvina is the brainchild of the Central Intelligence Organisation. |
| Amnesty blames Mugabe for food Amnesty International says it is astonished that the man who is responsible for food insecurity in Zimbabwe is hosting. Many people were outraged by the news that Mugabe is hosting the UN organised food conference in Harare. |
MDC Birmingham branch opposes senate elections
The Birmingham branch of the MDC in the UK has resolved to oppose the participation of their party in next month’s senate poll. They said taking part is an unnecessary waste of resources, given that they would be contesting against an institution whose existence they oppose in the first place. |
CIO remove the Mirror editor
According to media reports Ibbo Mandaza was set to formally leave the group in December this year after agreeing a pay off. It now seems there is a change of plan after the private media blew the scandal into the public domain. |
Tsvangirai speaks on Senate
It's crunch time for the MDC as the Senate elections have been brought forward from December to November. While the ruling party seems to be gearing up for this, the MDC is still to announce whether or not they are going to participate. |
Beware of 'CIO journalists'
Zimbabwe Independent editor Vincent Kahiya has said the weekly paper might have to review the way in which it recruits journalists following the media-gate scandal. |
Mugabe opens food conference In a surprising development, a regional conference on food safety for Africa jointly organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)... |
City Of Harare fails to pay salaries
Council workers for the City of Harare have gathered in their thousands at The Rowan Martin building since last Thursday, ..... |
15000 arrested in Harare
Police in Harare arrested almost 15 000 illegal vendors, illegal foreign currency and fuel dealers over the last two weeks, the state controlled Herald reported on Monday. |