THE BULAWAYO AGENDA BLOG

‘Demonic’ actions in Zimbabwe condemned
 

Churches in Zimbabwe are opening their doors to give refuge to people ,fleeing violence following the elections which were held almost a month ago.
 

The Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA) has held emergency meetings to coordinate its response to the growing number of people arriving in major cities to escape the violence in the rural areas inflicted on those who voted for the opposition.
 

Member churches of the ZCA, a Christian Aid partner, have already received people in Harare and Bulawayo; churches in other major cities have also opened their doors.
 

‘We need to provide these people with shelter, food and blankets,’ saiRev Jonah Gokova of the ZCA.
 

‘From a faith perspective these actions are really demonic. They are undermining the dignity of people created in the image of God.’
 

Rev Gokova says pastors are also being targeted; two pastors arrived in Harare after being warned by their parishioners to flee.

The victims of this violence are caught up in Operation Makavhoterapapi, which is Shona for ‘Where did you put your cross?’
 

Gangs of armed ZANU PF supporters are moving through the countryside to identify villages which support the opposition party.
 

‘We are concerned about this situation which now resembles a state of war,’ said Rev Gokova. ‘As Christians we publicly condemn this suffering and killing of innocent people.
 

‘The courage of these people is amazing. One man we are trying to help refused to take up a safe house we had provided him with, saying he had to get back to his family. He was not prepared to leave his family facing the same threats he had escaped. He is determined to get his family out.’

Churches in neighbouring South Africa, Zambia and Botswana have offered support to the ZCA.
 

A statement released earlier this week by church leaders in Zimbabwe warned the country faces ‘genocide’ unless the international community intervenes.
 

‘We warn the world that if nothing is done to help the people of Zimbabwe from their predicament, we shall soon be witnessing genocide similar to that experienced in Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and other hot spots in Africa and elsewhere,’ leaders of all denominations said in a joint statement.
 

It also said there was “widespread famine” in Zimbabwe’s countryside, that basic goods were unavailable or too expensive and that there were no medicines to treat people injured in the post-election violence.
 

Rev Gokova said: ‘While we are trying to find ways to comfort these people, we appeal to Christians everywhere to condemn this situation. We urge people to pray for peace in Zimbabwe.’

THE following is the full text of the communiqué issued on Sunday by the SADC Heads of State at the end of their extra-ordinary meeting on Zimbabwe held in Lusaka, Zambia:
  
2008 first extra-ordinary SADC summit of Heads of State and Government
    
13 April 2008
Lusaka, Zambia
      
1. The Extra-ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government or their representatives of SADC met in Lusaka, Zambia to discuss the political developments in Zimbabwe following the recent Presidential, Senatorial, National Assembly and Local Authorities elections’ held on 29 March 2008.
   
2. The meeting was chaired by His Excellency, President Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa S.C, Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and President of the Republic of Zambia.
  
3. The Extra-ordinary Summit was attended by the following Heads of State and Government:
   
Zambia - H.E. President Dr. Levy P. Mwanawasa,
Chairperson of SADC
Angola   - H.E President José Eduardo dos Santos
Chairperson of Organ on Politics, Defense and  Security Cooperation
Botswana -  H.E. President Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama
Democratic Republic of the Congo  - H.E. President Joseph Kabila 
Mozambique -  H.E. President Armando Emilio Guebuza
Namibia - H.E. President Hifikepunye Pohamba
South Africa - H.E. President Thabo Mbeki
Malawi - H.E. President Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika
Kingdom of Lesotho - Hon. Deputy Prime Minister Lesao Lehohla 
Mauritius -  Hon. James B. David, Minister for Local Government
Kingdom of Swaziland - Hon. Charles S. Magongo, Minister for Public Service and Information
United Republic of Tanzania - Hon. Seif A. Iddi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Zimbabwe - Hon. Emmerson D. Mnangagwa, Minister of Rural Housing and Social Amenities
Madagascar - H.E. Ambassador Dr. Dennis Andriamandroso
 
4. In his opening remarks, the SADC Chairperson welcomed their Excellencies, Heads of State and Government to Lusaka, Zambia and indicated that the purpose of the Extra-ordinary Summit was to discuss the recent events in Zimbabwe following the elections in Zimbabwe in an open, objective and honest manner. In this regard, SADC re-affirmed its commitment to assist the parties to deal with the current situation.
    
5. The Extra-ordinary Summit was held in line with SADC objectives to promote common political values and systems transmitted through institutions that are democratic, legitimate and effective to facilitate the consolidation of democracy, peace, security and stability.
   
6. The Summit welcomed and congratulated H.E. Lt. General Seretse Khama Ian Khama, President of Botswana on his assumption of office.
 
7. The Extra-ordinary Summit noted and appreciated the briefing by H.E President José Eduardo dos Santos, Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defense and Security Cooperation on the Report of the SADC Electoral Observer Mission deployed in Zimbabwe during the election.
    
8. The Summit noted that the Report of the Chairperson of the Organ, on the elections in Zimbabwe indicated that the electoral process was acceptable to all parties. Summit commended the Chairperson of the Organ for the manner in which the Observer Mission was handled. At the time of holding the Extra-ordinary Summit, the results of the Presidential election had not been announced by the election authorities.
   
9. The Summit commended the people of Zimbabwe for the peaceful and orderly manner in which they conducted themselves before, during and after the elections.
   
10. The Summit commended the Government of Zimbabwe for ensuring that elections were conducted in a peaceful environment.
   
11. The Summit congratulated and thanked the SADC Facilitator, President Mbeki and his Facilitation Team, for the role they had played in helping to contribute to the successful holding of elections. Summit requested President Mbeki to continue in his role as Facilitator on Zimbabwe on the outstanding issues.
   
12. The Extra-ordinary Summit noted and appreciated the brief by the delegation of the Government of Zimbabwe on the elections held in Zimbabwe. The Government of Zimbabwe indicated that the elections were held in a free and peaceful environment. The Government expressed concerns at instances of inaccuracy of some figures relating to the House of Assembly, Senate and Presidential elections.
   
13. Member States, with the exception of Zimbabwe, held informal consultations with Presidential candidates, Mr. Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and independent candidate, Dr. Simba Makoni. Both, opposition leaders confirmed that the elections were held in a free, fair and peaceful environment. Whilst they do not have a problem with the election results of the Senatorial, Parliamentary and Local Authority elections, they expressed concerns on the delay in announcing the results as well as lack of their participation in the verification process of the Presidential results currently being conducted by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
    
14. The Summit urged the electoral authorities in Zimbabwe that verification and release of results are expeditiously done in accordance with the due process of law.  Summit also urged all the parties in the electoral process in Zimbabwe to accept the results when they are announced.  By due process of law, Summit understood to mean that:
    
(a)  the verification and counting must be done in the presence of candidates and/or their agents, if they so wish, who must all sign the authenticity of such verification and counting.
(b) SADC offers to send its Election Observer Mission who would be present throughout such verification and counting.
    
15. If such verification and counting makes it necessary for the parties to go for a run-off, the Government is urged to ensure that the run-off elections are held in a secure environment. SADC offers to send an Election Observer Mission.
     
16. The Summit appeals to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to ensure strict compliance with the rule of law and SADC Principles and Guidelines governing democratic elections. 
   
17. The Summit expressed its deep appreciation for the gracious hospitality extended to them by the Government of Zambia.

Done at Mulungushi International Conference CentreLusaka, Zambia
13 April, 2008

14 April 2008

Harare - ZIMBABWE’S High Court on Monday refused to order the immediate release of delayed results from a March 29 presidential election, in a major blow to the opposition MDC.
 

Rejecting a Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) application to force the electoral commission to release the result, Judge Tendai Uchena said: “I dismiss the case with costs.”

More on http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/electoral237.18061.html

April 14 2008 at 10:08AM

By Peta Thornycroft

One of the authors of Zimbabwe’s new electoral laws says next week’s scheduled recount of 23 constituencies will be illegal. Welshman Ncube, one of two Movement for Democratic Change negotiators who spent much of 2007 locked into rewriting some of Zimbabwe’s contentious laws with Zanu-PF during SA-mediated “dialogues”, on Sunday said Zanu-PF complaints were “concoctions after the fact, to be compliant with the law”.

President Robert Mugabe is widely believed to have lost the presidential election by at least 7 percent and has delayed releasing the results for more than two weeks so that the vote can be “massaged”.

However, Judge George Chiweshe, head of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), claimed on Sunday that Zanu-PF candidates in 23 constituencies had lodged complaints within the prescribed 48 hours after the polls closed, and therefore had not broken the Electoral Act.

The results of the parliamentary elections were public by April 1, having been posted outside polling stations and collected by civic and opposition workers.

No statement was issued by the electoral commission about the complaints nor were competing candidates informed. This is the first anyone outside of the commission or Zanu-PF has heard about the complaints.

According to Judge Chiweshe, “we sat as a commission and considered them (the applications).

“I can’t tell you when we did this at this moment we received them, that is why we ordered recounts we didn’t have to tell the world. Why should we? We are not obliged by law to do that.

“Are you calling me a liar?” he wanted to know. Ncube labelled Chiweshe a “blatant liar and a fraudster”.

“The ZEC is acting in collusion with Zanu-PF and if they think any of us will believe them when they are a gang of fraudsters, then they can go to hell.

“They are such brazen liars and they have had custody of the ballot boxes for more than two weeks. There is no guarantee that they didn’t go back and tamper with the ballot boxes, so the outcome of the recount is a foregone conclusion.”

He said MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai won a clear majority, which was why the results were not released.

MDC secretary for legal affairs David Coltart said: “We have asked for proof the complaints were submitted within the 48-hour period.

“The delay between the expiry of the 48-hour period and the writing of the letters of complaint by ZEC is inexplicable, unreasonable.

“The only inference one can draw from the delay is that the commission has connived with Zanu-PF and therefore acted illegally.

“One would have expected the ZEC would immediately have notified all interested parties, but they took nine days to do so.

“This is a brazen subversion of the Electoral Act.”

Last week a senior policeman with at least 20 years’ experience told The Star that ballot boxes from a Midlands constituency, now due for a recount on Saturday, were brought into police headquarters in Harare on the
morning of April 5.

He said five or six young recruits took ballots for the presidential election, marked for Tsvangirai, and replaced them with duplicate ballots marked with an X for Mugabe.

Zanu-PF must win back nine seats to regain parliament.

This article was originally published on page 1 of The Star on April 14, 2008

Zimbabwe officials say results issue matter for court
Fri 11 Apr 2008

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe’s electoral commission on Thursday indicated that it would not release results of the March 29 presidential election as long as the matter was before a court in Harare.

“The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission advises members of the public that the issue of presidential election results is now a subject of the High Court,” state radio reported late on Thursday.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change has filed an application with the High Court to compel election officials to release the results of the poll, which the MDC said it had won.

More on http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnBAN123444.html
© Reuters 2008. All Rights Reserved.

 
S.Africa’s Mbeki meets Zimbabwe’s Tsvangirai
Friday, April 11, 2008

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) South African’s Thabo Mbeki met with a key opposition leader of Zimbabwe to discuss that country’s election crisis ahead of a regional meeting on the matter, opposition members said Friday.

“They have already met. They met yesterday [Thursday] at half past five,” Nqobizitha Mlilo, spokesman for Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change told AFP, of talks in Pretoria between the South African president and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

“The meeting went well. The details of it are not at this stage for public consumption.”

Thirteen days after Zimbabwe’s general elections, there is still no word on the outcome of the presidential poll. President Robert Mugabe’s ruling Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party argues there must be a run-off, while the MDC says Tsvangirai has won outright.

More on http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=africa&item=080411070835.zd923rb3.php

©2008 AFP

Zimbabwe: Central Bank Head Condemns Mugabe’s Violent Poll Strategy
Kitsepile Nyathi (The Nation - Nairobi)

11 April 2008

Harare - Zimbabwe’s central bank governor has called for an end to the invasion of white-owned commercial farms as the political crisis caused by the delay in the announcement of results of recent presidential elections continued to edge towards bloodshed.

The veterans of the country’s liberation war have invaded close to 100 commercial farms in the past few days in what has been described as a campaign of retribution following President Robert Mugabe’s rejection at the polls.

Dr Gideon Gono, who is battling a world record breaking inflation rate of 165,000 per cent blamed on the collapse of the country’s agriculture based economy, said the invasions threatened national stability.

His comments were the first by a close ally of Mr Mugabe since the Zanu PF’s militants launched a violent campaign against the opposition following the land mark election outcome.

More on http://allafrica.com/stories/200804110169.html

Mugabe supporters attack foes in rural Zimbabwe
By Geoff Hill (Washington Times)
April 11, 2008
 

Brigades of youth militia, and older men claiming to have served in the civil war of the 1970s, have descended on rural areas of Zimbabwe, beating villagers and burning their homes, according to eyewitnesses reached by phone.

The violence, thought to have been ordered by President Robert Mugabe, has been seen in areas where the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) won in the March 29 election.

In the Murehwa district, 30 miles east of the capital, Harare, MDC officials say hundreds of people, including old women and children as young as 5, have been beaten with clubs.

More on http://washingtontimes.com/article/20080411/FOREIGN/90467466/1003

Mugabe’s spokesman orders shake-up at state broadcaster
Thursday 10 April 2008
 
HARARE – President Robert Mugabe’s press secretary, George Charamba, has ordered a purge of senior management at state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) for allegedly failing to run a favourable campaign for the ruling ZANU PF party, which lost to the opposition in elections two weeks ago.

More on http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=3020

© 2006 ZimOnline

A chorus of concerned voices is growing in Zimbabwe on the delay in the release of the results of the Presidential poll held on 29 March. Civil society organisations, church groups and concerned citizens Civil society organisations based in Bulawayo have resolved to petition the Southern African Development Community and the African Union including regional religious and civic leaders to exert pressure on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to urgently release the results.

This comes in the light of a High Court ruling that the Movement for Democratic Change’s case against the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) was urgent and that MDC lawyers had since started arguing their case.

Addressing a press conference in Bulawayo, Tuesday, the organisations expressed a number of concerns where they said that that if ZEC had legitimate reasons for delaying or not announcing the results of the Presidential elections then they should let the nation know.

The organisations that endorsed the action include the Association of Avengelicals in Africa, Bulawayo Agenda, Christian Alliance, Grace To Heal and Habakkuk Trust. Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), Churches In Bulawayo, Radio Dialogue and the National Youth Development Trust as well as the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace, the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association, the Zimbabwe national Pastors Conference and the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights complete the list.

“The failure to release the results on time has resulted in unnecessary anxiety and tension amongst our traditionally patient and peace loving populace. Even though Zimbabweans exercised their constitutional right to vote, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission seems to have abdicated the imperative, duty and responsibility of releasing results of the presidential election on time,” they said.

They went on to state that in the absence of vital information about who would the nation into the future, Zimbabweans found themselves in the precarious position of not being able to plan their future of even pray for their leaders since they did not know who had won the election.

An appeal was made to President Mugabe to refrain from abusing Presidential Powers to the advantage of either himself or his party (ZANU-PF).

“We therefore call upon President Robert Gabriel Mugabe to ensure that the country’s electoral laws are upheld in the event of a run-off ensuring that the re-run is held within the stipulated 21 days,” they said.

They appealed to regional leaders at government, ecumenical and civic levels to exert the necessary pressure on ZEC to release the results of the Presidential elections as a matter of what they termed ‘the first capital importance.’
 
Meanwhile, civil society organisations have launched a national campaign calling for peace and the respect for the will of the people. Communities from all over the country were being encouraged to converge in their areas to conduct different non-violent social actions such as marches, prayer and public meetings. Organized under the banner of the National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO), a working group drawn from its membership met on Monday to strategise on the way forward regarding the current impasse in Zimbabwe.
 
The campaign has adopted the colour white and as a show of support of the effort, citizens were being encouraged to wear white ribbon, scarves and apparel as a sign of the yearning for a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Zimbabwe.

The organisations are demanding the immediate release of the presidential results raising concern over what they termed as ‘incomprehensible explanations’ about the delays. They said that it was worrisome that ZANU-PF as an interested party continued to interfere with the timely release of the results by the ZEC. They implored the election body to assert itself as an independent and impartial election management body perceiving the delays as intolerable since they were causing ‘socio-economic paralysis.’

The organisations further expressed worry that the continuing anxiety and uncertainty around the results was breeding ground for civil unrest. They have identified the 18th of April, Zimbabwe’s Independence Day as an opportunity for all Zimbabweans to speak out collectively in support of peace, fundamental freedoms and respect for the people’s will.

Stopping short of indicating who civil society would support in the event of a presidential runoff, the organisations said that civil society had put in place mechanisms for a coordinated grassroots based civic campaign to ‘make the people’s vote larger, to make it count and to make it last.’