Zimbabwe’s power situation sucks:

Winter load-shedding schedule disappointing
Residents have said they are disappointed that this year’s Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) winter load-shedding schedule is the worst since load shedding intensified in the last three years. They said they were disheartened by the fact that ZESA officials have the audacity to notify the nation that some residential areas will experience power cuts at least twice a day with some going for between five to ten hours without power supplies. In addition, ZESA has said most residential areas will experience power cuts six days out of seven in a week. Residents said this showed that ZESA was failing in its mandate to provide the country with its power needs. Interestingly, while failing to provide constant electricity supply, ZESA executives and employees alike earn fat salaries. Bulawayo residents last year demonstrated against ZESA expressing displeasure with the poor service provision. The effort was however in vain as ZESA continues to swindle residents, charging them exorbitant bills but failing to provide electricity. In the past month, power cuts have intensified with most areas experiencing power cuts almost every day. Residents have also expressed dismay with the fact that ZESA’s billing system does not cater for the hours lost without power.
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association

According to the statement from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) below, a pastor and 26 mourners who were coming from a funeral last week have been charged with public violence and have spent their fifth night in police custody. “Evidence” seized by the police include MDC regalia and a vuvuzela.

Pastor, Mukoyi and mourners wallow in detention

27 mourners including a Pastor, who were arrested and charged with public violence last week, on Monday 23 May 2011 spent their fifth night in detention after Mbare Magistrate Reward Kwenda postponed his ruling on their bail application to Tuesday 24 May 2011.

Pastor Dominic Dziwedziwe (36) of Kuwadzana, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Harare Province Vice-chairperson Shakespeare Mukoyi and 25 other mourners appeared in court on Monday 23 May 2011 for their initial remand, where their lawyers Gift Mtisi of Musendekwa and Mtisi Legal Practitioners and Tarisai Mutangi of Donsa-Nkomo and Mutangi Legal Practitioners, who are members of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights applied for their admission to bail.

In his bail application Mtisi argued that his clients were mourners who were travelling to Kuwadzana high density suburb after burying their colleague at the graveyard.

But Magistrate Kwenda postponed the bail hearing to Tuesday 24 May 2011 to allow State Prosecutor Sidom Chinzete to respond to the bail application after he indicated that he was not in a position to file some submissions in response to the bail application, although he indicated that he would oppose bail.

Chinzete alleged that the 27, Charged with contravening section 36 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 for public violence were arrested on Thursday 19 May 2011 while coming from burying the body of an MDC activist Jack Ndeketeya at Granville cemetery, who had passed away early last week.

He alleged that the mourners alighted from their vehicles at Boka Tobacco Auction Floors and assaulted some farmers and other people by throwing stones at them and tore some ZANU PF posters and banners pasted at the tobacco auction floors.

The prosecutor accused the mourners of throwing stones at some tobacco farmers who were waiting to sell their tobacco crop at the auction floors forcing them to flee for safety while leaving their goods at a flea market unattended.

Chinzete claimed that the mourners stole clothes, a mobile phone handset and a sim card valued at $339 before they were arrested by the police near Kuwadzana suburb.

Police seized the five vehicles which were ferrying the mourners to Kuwadzana suburb and intend to use them as exhibits together with MDC regalia, which include a red and white cap, a red vuvuzela and a wrapping cloth.

No wonder Mugabe travels with such large entourages. Here’s a statement from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR):

ZIMBABWE STATE SECURITY AGENTS TARGET CSO’S AT SADC SUMMIT

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) condemns the malevolent and illegal actions of unidentified Zimbabwean state security agents who on Friday 20 May 2011 harassed Civil Society Organisation (CSO) representatives at the SADC Extra-Ordinary Summit in Windhoek, Namibia.

Some Zimbabwean state security agents who refused to identify themselves, accompanied by some Namibian law enforcement agents under unclear circumstances interrogated some CSO leaders who were attending the SADC summit.

The CSO leaders had on Thursday 19 May 2011 shared their position concerning the road map to free and fair elections in Zimbabwe at a press conference organised by the Southern Africa Development Community-Council of Non Governmental Organizations (SADC-CNGO) in partnership with NANGOF Trust, Namibia.

The CSOs also attended another press conference that had been organised by the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition focusing on CSOs input into the Zimbabwean election debate.

First to be targeted were about ten representatives including National Association of Non Governmental Organisations (NANGO) chairperson Dadirai Chikwengo, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition officials MacDonald Lewanika, Pedzisayi Ruhanya and Dewa Mavhinga and other representatives from the Zimbabwe Election Support Network who had been distributing statements with key demands from Zimbabwean CSOs at Safari Court hotel, the venue of the Summit.

The CSO’s representatives were whisked away by Namibian law enforcement agents while state security agents watched. During that time state security agents asked Lewanika some questions on his personal details, his business in Namibia, where he was residing, how long he had been in Namibia and how he had arrived in the country.

The CSO representatives were then told to leave the premises of the hotel after some interrogation by the Zimbabwe state security agents.

The state security agents also briefly detained Jelousy Mawarire for allegedly capturing pictures and chased away Shastry Njeru of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum from the venue of the SADC Summit.

Mawarire, who had his pictures deleted from his camera, was later released after the intervention of Namibian human rights lawyer Norman Tjombe.

Also targeted were ZLHR Executive Director Irene Petras, Joy Mabenge of Institute for a Democratic Alternative for Zimbabwe, Lloyd Kuveya of Southern Africa Litigation Centre, Makanatsa Makonese of SADC Lawyers Association who were having a meeting at the hotel.  The four CSO representatives were force-marched into the hotel’s parking area by two armed Namibian police who took them to the Namibian Chief Inspector dealing with security at the Summit and the Zimbabwean security agents.

The Zimbabwean state security agents were very hostile and proceeded to profile Petras, Mabenge, Kuveya and Makonese. They refused to identify themselves.

The CSO representatives were interrogated by the state security agents for more than one hour and the questions centered around their personal details, their mission in Namibia, their place of residence in Namibia, and their residential addresses in Zimbabwe while officials from the Zimbabwean embassy were observing.

ZLHR strongly condemns this despicable conduct and reminds the state security agents and the government that civil society has the right to have its voice heard that is why there is a strong delegation drawn from various networks in Zimbabwe and the region. The actions of the state security agents highlights the need to urgently reform the security sector players as enunciated in the Global Political Agreement as they continue to be a law unto themselves even beyond the borders of Zimbabwe.

I loved every single one of them – the beautiful series of TV ads from South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission.  Each one was crafted to gently nudge citizens to register for and vote in the recently held municipal elections.  “Love your South Africa” was the poignant payoff line that summarised the advertisements’ intent.  I must admit, I felt quite moved to take-part in their elections myself.

Can you imagine if our own Zimbabwe Electoral Commission undertook a similar TV ad-campaign for voter mobilisation?  That would be something!  I know its wishful thinking.  There’s no money to conduct elections this year, let alone to design slick adverts.  And with nothing independent in the name or operations of the ZEC, having a non-partisan campaign is doubtful.

Nonetheless, one can dream.

They could start by showing black and white footage of people in long, winding queues.  Then the voice over would say “Lest we ever forget” as the ad would continue to show Zimbabweans patiently waiting to exercise their right to access cash, bread and anything that wasn’t readily available at the time.

“The fight for our democratic rights was hard,” the voice over would add before a melancholy tune begins playing.  Images would be run of women being beaten, battered and bruised political activists, maimed villagers and the lifeless bodies of once-promising youths.  I am certain we wouldn’t have to search far for such material.  There was more than enough violence perpetrated in the period 2006-2011.

Then the music would pick up pace and become a happy melody.  The voiceover would announce, “But that fight is over.  The people of Zimbabwe won.”  This would be accompanied by pictures showing the wealth gained from the struggle; fallow farms and derelict factories.  To emphasise the point, a snippet of an interview with a young man would be shown where he would enthuse how wonderful the fruits of our democracy are. “Currently I’m unemployed … because of illegal sanctions,” he quickly adds.  “But my tomorrow looks bright, thanks to the sacrifices of those who have gone before me.”

The pictures of some of the country’s most prominent independence-struggle icons would be displayed, concluding with that of the President in all his boisterous self.  Cue the voice over: “We fought hard to be where we are today.  Let’s ensure that this is the only future we’ll ever have.”

The background music would reach its crescendo, the screen would cut to a shot of the ZEC logo and the voice over would conclude:  “Make your mark and vote in the 2011 General Elections.  Your life depends on it!”

According to the Standard this week:

Foreign-owned companies opposed to the country’s indigenisation and empowerment laws must shut operations and relocate to their countries of origin, Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Saviour Kasukuwere said last week. He said Chinese and Indian investors were ready to take over foreign-owned companies that are resisting to hand over 51% shareholding to black Zimbabweans, adding that Far East countries were ready to comply with the country’s empowerment laws.

Read more

Because Chinese and Indian investors are not foreign? Or maybe some foreigners are just more equal than others.

The recent Worker’s Day commemorations held in Zimbabwe were packed with demands for better wages and working conditions. With high hopes for a better life since the introduction of the US dollar, most workers still find themselves living below the poverty datum line. With surging prices of minerals on the world market there is still little to show for an improvement in the lives of mine workers in Zimbabwe.

Most mining towns in Zimbabwe have turned into ghost towns. A good example is the asbestos mine in Zvishavane. Shabanie mine used to provide employment to hundreds of workers and the town was vibrant but now it has turned out to be the opposite. Mine workers in this town have been reduced to mere beggars, vendors and destitutes. Just like the land reform where many farm workers were left without means of survival, little is being done to address the welfare of mine workers.

A lot of companies last week were in a rush to beat the deadline for the submission of their indigenisation plans in line with the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act which states that 51 percent shareholding be reserved for locals. Little is being said of the plight of the workers in these companies. It is my belief government should make sure that employees of these companies get first offer for the shares especially in mining companies.  Recently I was in Mvuma and the town has just been reduced into a ghost with lots of former mine workers now resorting to panning for survival. The only good memories residents of this town have, are of the time when Athens mine was still operating at full capacity.