MDC wants to declare talks deadlock

Written by Stanley Chikomba
Tuesday, 15 December 2009 12:10
Negotiators of the country’s three main political parties are said to have
agreed on fifteen of the 21 outstanding issues threatening the shaky
coalition government but the MDC wants a deadlock to be declared on the
remaining ones, sources close to the talks say.

The sources told The Zimbabwean newspaper this week that the parties have
agreed on 15 items out of an expanded list of issues tabled when the parties
resumed talks after the SADC Troika meeting held in Maputo last month.
“They have agreed on most of the issues and have presented a progress report
to the three principals and now await direction on how to proceed on the
remaining issues,” said the source.
Among the crucial issues that have been agreed are media reform, pirate
radio stations, audit of the land reform programme among others. The parties
are however still deadlocked on the issue of sanctions, appointment of
Attorney General, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor, provincial governors,
Roy Bennett and security sector reform.
The MDC party led by Prime Minister Tsvangirai is said to have declared a
deadlock on these outstanding issues and want them referred to SADC for a
determination. But President Robert Mugabe is insisting that the talks be
given more time. He met Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his Deputy
Arthur Mutambara met on Monday and agreed to give the negotiators more time
to thrush out a workable deal before declaring a deadlock.
The negotiators are now set to resume the final talks on Friday. On the
other hand the three principals have agreed to make an announcement on what
has been agreed next week upon Mugabe’s return from Copenhagen where he went
to attend the ongoing climate change talks.
“The MDC wanted the negotiators to declare a deadlock and have the matter
referred to SADC but Mugabe is said to have asked his colleagues to give the
talks more time,” said the source.
At his party’s just ended congress Mugabe asked the SADC appointed mediator,
Jacob Zuma, to be patient insisting that any issues agreed in the ongoing
power-sharing negotiations would only be implemented when MDC calls for the
lifting of Western sanctions on Mugabe and his loyalists.
When approached for a comment one of the negotiators, Welshman Ncube, of the
MDC party led by Mutambara said he an not talk about the deliberations ofeh
talks but said, “We are still negotiating and we have  no timetable.”
SADC Troika last month asked Zimbabwe’s political leaders to engage in
dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues in the implementation of last
year’s power-sharing agreement or global political agreement (GPA).
Some of the outstanding issues include Mugabe’s refusal to rescind his
unilateral appointment of two of his top allies to head Zimbabwe’s central
bank and the attorney general’s office.
Mugabe has also refused to swear in Tsvangirai ally Roy Bennett as deputy
agriculture minister while the Prime Minister’s MDC-T party is also unhappy
by what it says is selective application of the law to target its activists
and officials.
On the other hand ZANU PF, which insists that it has met all its obligations
under the GPA, accuses the MDC-T of not living up to a promise to lead a
campaign for lifting of Western sanctions against Mugabe and members of his
inner circle.

Zanu-PF congress slaps MDC in the face

Robert MugabePresident Robert Mugabe – another five years at helm of Zanu-PF

By Raymond Maingire

HARARE – President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party, whose fifth national
congress drew to a dramatic close in Harare on Saturday night, slaps its
partner in the unified government by adopting measures that could scuttle
the Global Political Agreement.

The party effectively ditched any further discussion on Mugabe’s
controversial appointment of the central bank governor Gideon Gono, Attorney
General Johannes Tomana and provincial governors in total defiance of an
SADC Troika pronouncement that the issues were genuine demands by the MDC.

“Congress resolved that our inclusive government negotiators cease to
entertain any discussion on or negotiation of the issue relating to the
appointment of the governor of the Reserve Bank, the Attorney General and
the provincial governors as these fall outside the purview of the Global
Political Agreement and have their solid statutory origins that protect
them,” reads part of the Zanu-PF resolutions.

Party secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa announced the resolutions
at the end of the congress Saturday evening.

Fresh clashes also loom between Zanu-PF and MDC following yet another
resolution by Zanu-PF congress that it will not allow the implementation of
any issues agreed in talks so far before sanctions are lifted and the
so-called pirate radio stations stop broadcasting into Zimbabwe.

“There should be no movement on the concerns of the MDC formations without
corresponding and simultaneous redress of Zanu-PF’s concerns such as the
illegal western sanctions, western funded pirate radio broadcasts and
western interference in Zimbabwean international politics through the
funding of parallel government structures,” said Mutasa.

“The President and first secretary of Zanu-PF and negotiators should not
countenance any introduction or inclusion in the ongoing inter-party
dialogue of provisions or agreements which seek to reverse or undermine the
gains of the liberations struggle.”

Zanu-PF has further berated the MDC for demanding reforms around the
security forces.

Zanu-PF says it has the privilege to remain in control of the country’s
partisan security forces, claiming the institutions were founded through the
merger of the liberation war forces of Zanla and Zipra at independence in
1980.

According to Zanu-PF, the structure of the forces was “tailored to specific
threat perceptions” claiming any such control was “an unalienable right of
every sovereign state”.

“Zimbabwe’s security forces are a product of the national liberation
struggle, belong to the people and are mandated to defend the country’s
territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty,” said Zanu-PF in a
communiqué.

“Zanu-PF as the party of revolution and the people’s vanguard shall not
allow the security forces of Zimbabwe to be the subject of any negotiations
for the so-called security sector reforms.”

Any security sector reforms, says Zanu-PF, seeks to reverse or undermine
gains of the liberation struggle

The MDC is adamant the security forces, which are headed by commanders loyal
to Mugabe cronies, are not discharging their duties partially.

In his own closing address to the congress, President Mugabe praised the
defence forces for being “dependable”.

The army has kept him in power for years in spite of his continued rejection
by the electorate.

“That is the most dependable force we could ever have,” he said.

“It shall not be tempered with. The enemy would want to see it disintegrate
and any tactics, maneuvers, manipulations to tamper with the force as it is
would never be entertained.”

Zanu-PF says it will block any new constitution that does not reflect the
values and aspirations of Zimbabweans.

“Congress signals its determination to reject any outcome of the
constitution making process that is not home-grown and acceptable outcome of
the constitution made by Zimbabweans, for Zimbabwe which entrenches the
ethos and gains of the liberation struggle and not the products of any
external interference.

“No foreigners, individuals, cooperates or national in whatever capacity or
any from time to time find themselves involved in aspects of Zimbabwe’s
bilateral disputes have the right to impose a constitutional order on
Zimbabwe.”

Zanu-PF has further asked South Africa President Jacob Zuma to be patient
with Zimbabwe’s political crisis as well as understand that the political
crisis “has delicate, sensitive fundamental concerns that cannot be resolved
overnight”.

Zuma was appointed last month by the SADC Troika to preside over Zimbabwe’s
crisis talks, taking over from his predecessor Thabo Mbeki. Zanu-PF thanked
Mbeki for a job well done. Meanwhile, Zuma’s take-over generated both
excitement and optimism that he would soon find the solution that had
remained elusive under Mbeki.

President Mugabe was reelected Zanu-PF leader for yet another five-year
term. He will be more than 90 years old if he serves his full term. Vice
President Joice Mujuru (54) was also re-elected into her position.

Party chairman John Nkomo, age 75,  was elevated to the second position of
vice president in the party. This means Nkomo will be elevated in government
from his post as co-Minister of National Healing to second Vice President of
Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe’s ambassador to South Africa Simon Khaya Moyo, 64, will
be recalled from Pretoria after he was elected to replace Nkomo as the party’s
national chairman.

Zanu’s secret plan : Top brass worried by grassroots support for MDC

Written by GIFT PHIRI

Wednesday, 09 December 2009 12:23

HARARE – Zanu (PF)’s leadership has admitted that the party faces political extinction and has concocted a battle plan to revive its flagging fortunes. Minutes of a recent secret meeting of the party’s hierarchy have been leaked to The Zimbabwean and show that Zanu recognises that it has been mortally wounded by the MDC. “The MDC is operational daily in our districts, provinces, townships, towns. They are busy canvassing, mobilising, recruiting and preparing their supporters for any eventuality of elections as Morgan Tsvangirai has been expounding at his party’s gatherings for people to gear up for elections. “MDC is busy in government with the only agenda of preparing for elections and gain (sic) ground, making them better poised and positioned advantageously through their participation in this government of national unity. This is our biggest problem and challenge,” say the minutes. At the time of going to press we had not been able to independently verify who attended the meeting, but the minutes in our possession have spin doctor Jonathan Moyo’s DNA all over them. The minutes detail a secret plan to reinvigorate the party in a desperate attempt to prolong President Robert Mugabe’s three-decade hold on power. The plan features the same tired old strategies that have been employed by the party since Moyo took over the information reins in 2000. These include a media blitz. The minutes reveal that Moyo and Mugabe’s other allies are extremely worried about the effectiveness of the few independent newspapers and radio stations. But make no mention of why Zanu (PF)’s massive propaganda arsenal – a total monopoly of the airwaves, television and daily newspapers, which dwarf all the independent media outlets together has failed to garner support for the party. The plan is brutally honest about Zanu (PF)’s sliding popularity ratings, and bemoans the fact that there is “so much laxity, no popular vigilance and no vigorous party visibility in (sic) the ordinary citizens that shows that Zanu (PF) remains the sole party that has been mandated to rule Zimbabwe.” The notes continue: “In safeguarding our gains of the independence and national sovereignty, our enemy the MDC, at the same time, is wide awake and clandestinely working day and night with its supporters to hand over our Zimbabwe to the whites”. The meeting decided to come up with “counter-strategies” to stall every plan the MDC has of “advancing this European goal of re-colonising Zimbabwe”. “Our aim in this exercise is make Zanu (PF), our liberation party, be the sole party with the mandate to rule Zimbabwe ad infinitum by mobilising Zimbabweans to rally behind the party and continue holding on to the tested and proven able leadership of our gallant son of Africa, His Excellency, President RG Mugabe.”

Celebration Time In Coventry!

In terms of organisational structure the Zimbabwe Coventry Group were miles ahead of other groups that we have visited so far. They started on time and finished their programme with so much fanfare. The leader of the delegation from Nottingham Nicholas Shiri and co-assistant Tsitsi Chimbabwanda had only praises to sing for the Coventry management team.

Ms Buhle Maphosa’s daughters and sons provided the real needed entertainment that we had missed for years. The traditional dances and drama were first class acts, quipped Memory Mapondera who once lived in Coventry and is now based in Nottingham where she is a fulltime member of the Nottingham Zimbabwean Community Network Group. Presentation of presents and the distribution of food were well marshalled by Choice Sigauke and Ruramai Chinosengwa. Zimbabweans once again did show a spirit of togetherness when they massively turned out to make this event a success.

Ruramai Chinosengwa serving food to the delegates

Nottingham Zimbabwean Community Network will once again be back on yet another gruelling week, the 26^th September they will be in Sheffield and Leicester respectively, Together We Can

Hon Paul Madzore In Nottingham

from left to right Alfred Chalira,Albert Weidemann,Regis Manyanya  Hon Glen View South MP Paul Madzore and Will Wakefield CEO YMCA .

Hon Paul Madzore was in Nottingham courtesy of an invitation from the Nottingham Zimbabwean Community Network. Hon Madzore addressed a sizeable crowd of Zimbabweans and other nationalities who had gathered at the Nottingham’s Refugee Forum for a braai.

Assembly for Women Chairlady elected

Assembly for Women Chairperson

MDC nottingham branch finalluy elected a womens committee after the resignation of Mrs Molly Chimene, who was the chairwoman for the the group
The results of the elections were as follows

Chairlady                          Judith Bvuma
Vice Chairlady               Nyarai Nyakudya
Organising secretary   Chiwoneso Madeu
secretary                          Tsitsi Chimbwanda

Treasurer                    Nyaradzai Mutiwanyuka

Committee Member       Eba Mushangi
                                             Epi Ngulube
                                             Mary Chinyani
                                            Maud Dewe
                                             Patricia Wadi
The elctions were held on the 13th of June 2009 at The Old Basford Comunity centre.All those pledged to work diligently for a strong MDC that is focused and commited to archieve set targets.

MDC sets deadline for resolution of outstanding issues

The MDC has set next Monday as the deadline for the resolution of all outstanding issues, MDC secretary-general, Hon. Tendai Biti has said.

30 000 turn up for MDC rally in Chinhoyi

MDC President, Hon. Morgan Tsvangirai on Saturday raised concerns over outstanding issues that are affecting the inclusive government formed in February.

He was addressing over 30 000 MDC supporters gathered at Chinhoyi Stadium in Chinhoyi, Mashonaland West province to commemorate the MDC’s 10th anniversary celebrations.

Chinhoyi to host 10th anniversary celebratory rally

Chinhoyi to host 10th anniversary celebratory rally On Saturday, the MDC leadership led by President Morgan Tsvangirai is expected to address a rally that will be held at Chinhoyi Stadium in Mashonaland West Province.

25th of April MDC Meeting and Fundraising