POLITICAL SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE

AS ZIMBABWEANS brace themselves for a national referendum scheduled for November 2012 and national elections planned for March 2013, there is need for a sober but critical reflection on the core elements of a relevant past that gave birth to Zimbabwe; the murky present and the mysterious future of this great Southern African nation that is at stake. The murky present is locked in a series of debilitating contests pitting: # Forces of progress against those of both puppetry and tyranny concealed under bastardised ideologies of democracy and nationalism respectively, # Angry victims of violence and terror seeking justice and accountability against a terrified political-military leadership fearful of leaving public offices because of active participation in violence and massacre of fellow citizens, # The terrified, hungry, impoverished, oppressed citizenry against a brutal and selfish elite cabal engaged in naked primitive accumulation ala colonialism and which has elevat

POLITICAL SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE: MAWERE DENIED ZIM ID : REGISTRAR General Tobaiwa Mudede last week blocked South Africa-based businessman Mutumwa Mawere’s application for a new national identit...

REGISTRAR General Tobaiwa Mudede last week blocked South Africa-based businessman Mutumwa Mawere’s application for a new national identity card, telling him that dual citizenship remains illegal even under the new Constitution. Mawere, who is said to be involved with a new political party but denies the reports, holds South African citizenship. He plans to challenge Mudede's decision at the courts as soon as the country's new Constitution becomes law. The new charter was recently approved by the legislature and now awaits President Robert Mugabe’s assent. Mawere told the RG in a letter on Monday: “You will appreciate that I also want to participate in the forthcoming general elections that will be held in terms of the new Constitution that clearly confers on persons like me the right to citizenship and consequently the right to participate in the elections as a voter." The former SMM Holdings owner said he was surprised when told Mudede wanted to see him as he was pr

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai wrapped up his party's post-election plan meeting Sunday vowing to overturn President Robert Mugabe's indigenisation drive if he wins upcoming general elections. He wound up the meeting with a rally attended by thousands of supporters of his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) at a sports ground in Harare's Highfield suburb.   "We will reverse indigenisation laws and create empowerment laws for the majority of the people of Zimbabwe," said Tsvangirai. "We cannot all share a small cake. We can't share the existing wealth so we will have to create a bigger cake." Mugabe introduced the indigenisation law in 2010 which forces foreign-owned companies - including mines, banks and retailers - to cede 51 percent ownership to black Zimbabwean investors. The Zanu PF leader has threatened to take over firms that fail to comply. Tsvangirai is uneasy with the law which he says has driven away desperately needed foreign inve

POLITICAL SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE: ZIMBABWE`S POLITICAL SITUATION & RECOMMENDATIONS : As the Global Political Agreement (GPA) staggers to an end, continued violations of the agreement, reform deficits, limited institutiona...

As the Global Political Agreement (GPA) staggers to an end, continued violations of the agreement, reform deficits, limited institutional credibility and the rejection of a UN election needs assessment mission underscore the continued absence of conditions for peaceful and credible elections, despite the new constitution adopted in March 2013. President Robert Mugabe has been forced to step back from a June vote, but his party still pushes for an expedited process with little time to implement outstanding reforms and new constitutional provisions. The pervasive fear of violence and actual intimidation contradicts rhetorical commitments to peace. A reasonably free vote is still possible, but so too are deferred or disputed polls, or even a military intervention. The international community seems ready to back the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which must work with GPA partners to define and enforce “red lines” for a credible vote. The Zimbabwe African National Uni

POLITICAL SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE: NCA TURNS POLITCAL, WAY TO GO, THUMPS UP!!!! : WITH Zimbabwe’s new constitution set to be debated in Parliament next week, the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) pressure group an...