In one of the most ridiculous turn of events yet witnessed in the absurd drama called politics in Zimbabwe, the International Socialist Organisation‘s Munyaradzi Gwisai and his five co-accused (Antoinette Choto, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Edson Chakuma, Hopewell Gumbo and Welcome Zimuto) have been found guilty of conspiracy to incite public violence with a view to overthrowing the unity government.

Their sentencing is tomorrow, and the crime carries a prison term of up to ten years.

The six, and 39 others, were arrested on 19 February last year at a meeting convened by the International Socialist Organisation-Zimbabwe to discuss events in Tunisia and Egypt, and their implications for Zimbabwe. At the meeting, the group watched a video of news clips of events in Egypt, and heard a few prepared remarks from invited speakers, but actually had not even proceeded to the group discussion part of the event to even mention ideas such as public violence or overthrowing the unity government, before the meeting, which had been infiltrated, was raided by police and all participants were arrested.

On top of everything else, the notion that 45 people were gathered in Harare to discuss overthrowing the unity government – in a meeting which had been circulated via email and was open knowledge – is absurd. In an environment as repressive as Zimbabwe’s if I wanted to overthrow the government, I certainly wouldn’t announce my intentions to do so via email, nor would I invite anyone other than my closest friends into the discussion – in other words, it wouldn’t be me and my 44 acquaintances and colleagues.

To add insult to injury, the state’s case – on the back of which these 6 have been convicted – was founded solely on the testimony of the infiltrator mentioned above. This turned out to be Rodwell Chitiyo – aka Johnathan Shoko – who falsified his most basic personal information under oath, and who was exposed when the defence shared information from his Facebook page – under his real name.

One would have thought this would be enough to completely undermine both the witness and his testimony. But Magistrate Kudakwashe Jarabini, who handed down the guilty verdict, clearly has his own idea of what “perjury” actually means.

In February, Gwisai and his original 44 co-accused were detained for 16 nights before 39 were released, and the charges against them dropped. Gwisai and the 5 remaining defendants spent an additional 11 nights inside and were only released on 18 March. At the time of their release, the judge observed that the State case appeared weak, there being little in the facts presented to him to suggest a plot to topple the President.

This incarceration, for doing nothing more than watching some news footage and talking about current events, was already in itself unjust and inhumane, and has left physical and psychological impacts on all 45 of the original accused and their families, as was highlighted in a number of moving testimonials including:

• When is Baba coming home? – Interview with Munyaradzi Gwisai’s partner Shantha Bloemen
• One day I will find a way – Interview with the wife of one of Gwisai’s co-accused

The idea of convicting Gwisai +5, and imprisoning them for even one more day – never mind ten years – is an act beyond reason, justice or moral decency.

Protest the verdict

If you are in Johannesburg, join the picket at the Zimbabwe embassy on Tuesday 20th March from 12 – 1pm, at 13 Boeing Street West, Bedfordview (on the opposite side of the road to East Gate shopping Mall).

If you are anywhere else, please SMS your messages of protest and rejection of the guilty verdict to:

• Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena + 263 712 801 172
• Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri + 263 712 808 290
• Police Minister Kembo Mohadi +263 712 605 424
• Security Minister Didymus Mutasa +263 712 200 532

And if you have any better ideas as to how else we can protest this flagrant subversion of justice, please let us know!

Coming home to Avondale, from an AGM on the east side, Thursday night, down Churchill, in the dark. And it seems smoother coming up to the intersection with Second Street where it changes to Aberdeen Road. A notorious black spot for smash and grabs, where the thieves disappear over the metal fence into the University grounds easily.

But no, the robots are working, and they are the big new LED ones. Moreover, all the street lights are working. At the intersection, and up and down Second Street! I start to feel my pockets. Have I driven to another country? I haven’t got my passport with me! The next day I am going thorough in the day light, and I see why it was so smooth. All the pot holes have been filled and surfaced. Shocks like this when you are driving can lead to serious accidents! Things getting fixed! This place is definitely under new management.

But there are still shudders from the past. I got a ZESA bill last week. Again, shock! Not the size of the bill or anything (mine is quite reasonable), but just to get one. My last was May last year. Now I can go places and open accounts showing proof of residence. Almost like new management is taking us to a real country again.

But, the shudder of the past. Nicely printed at the bottom of the bill is the statement “ELECTRICITY is in short supply, Use it sparingly. ELECTRICITY SAVED IS MONEY SAVED.” Well, I think I do a good job of keeping things switched off. Lights off when I am not in the room, everything turned off when I leave the flat, fridge and freezer doors always shut and they seal well.

On my way home Thursday, going into Gun Hill (Arden road here) there is another new thing. A billboard, with electric light inside! “to advertise here…” So I have to wonder, is this not a bit like the rhino horn story? We are being reminded it is a scarce national resource. Yet, the people who remind us of this fact are busy selling it to someone who will not use it sparingly. The billboard will be on for 12 hours a day, and a billboard is hardly a national priority. We must all sit in the dark and eat cold meals to preserve a scarce national resource, sot that they can sell it to someone to advertise… restaurants?

There is some disconnect here. The rhino horn story. It is expensive because it is scarce, so we must kill it all quickly before it becomes extinct! And yet, by killing it, are we not making it extinct? They (ZESA / rhino poachers) are great with the plans to make money, but not so great with the plans to supply the product to make the money with. Short term long term disconnect.

Which reminded me, while walking to DSTV in Avondale, and stepping over downed lines. (I do not know if they were electricity or power lines, but they were cables, dead, and on the ground.) It all reminded me of the stories, several years ago, from whoever could not provide electricity, or connect their phone. “Ah, sorry, but we have no cables. They have been stolen. If you want to be connected, you will have to buy new cables/lines.’ Who remembers being given that story/explanation/line? So the question is, “if the line is so valuable that people steal it, and in so short supply that clients have to purchase their own, why is it just lying on the ground?”

Is it because the thieves are just so much better at it than the telephone or power company? The thieves can go and steal it from up on poles faster than the company can pick it up off the ground? Or was the story just a big lie? Was the explanation fed to them by the management who told them what colour the sky was in their world that day? And being good employees they just repeated what they were told to tell the people. People who were believed to be stupid enough to ‘realise’ that this explanation was correct? Well, since we are under new management, maybe the stories will change as well. But I hope, that since we are under new management, that the people will have found their voice and will tell the management, regularly and loudly, that we the people are not really that stupid.

Is it not damn baffling that Home Affairs co-Minister Kembo Mohadi has told parliament that spot fines demanded by traffic cops is illegal? This according to a report carried by ZBC-TV in the 8 o’clock bulletin of 15 March 2012. Surely this has been happening long before the MDCs tagged along into this dysfunctional union, meaning Mohadi has superintended over this portfolio long enough to know the Acts like the back of his hand. Talk about ignorance of the law! Talk about  presiding over lawlessness! It does not get more abhorrent than that. No wonder then many here still view Zimbabwe as a lawless country, what with the ever rising public outcry about police corruption (and we read the other day the country’s top cop actually suggesting and with all seriousness that on-the-spot lie detector tests would do well in catching morally depraved cops who live-off motorists’ misery demanding bribes). But still, Zanu PF wackos imagine lawlessness as wanton violence, therefore the absence of that violence becomes a pointer that there is indeed rule of law in Zimbabwe! The syllogisms would be laughable if they were not a pointer to the dire repercussions they have on the lives of millions here. Such an admission from a cabinet minister elsewhere where democracy works, motorists and members of the public would be demanding this guy’s resignation. Better yet, he would be tendering his resignation in admission that he is an incompetent nincompoop. But what do you know, he continues head held up high, never mind the other court cases that have been splashed in the private media that would have long been cause enough for him to quit his post. With the court cases, how can his own cops serve and protect the poor villagers who dragged the Mohadi, the cops’ principal, to court? Then this. So many things wrong here.

Spot fines to go reads the headline in today’s Herald. I’m claiming this as a victory for everyone who’s spoken up, said no, refused to pay a bribe, expressed their frustration, or demanded greater transparency from the police. This includes the commuter omnibus drivers who have protested, motorists who have insisted on receipts for their fines, and our many subscribers who have objected to corruption on the part of road traffic police.

Like the government, the police are meant to act for the public – to serve and protect the people. But like Frederick Douglass said, power concedes nothing without a demand. If spot files are indeed abolished and the road traffic police become less corrupt, it will be in large part because people took a stand and refused to let the police push them around. What’s next?

Keep Left South Africa have issued this message requesting solidarity actions to support Munyaradzi Gwisai +5, whose verdict should be handed down on Monday.

On Monday 19th March 2012 the 6 activists in Zimbabwe go to court when the Magistrate hands down a verdict in their case. They were charged with attempting to create public disorder for showing a video on the uprisings in Egypt last year.

19th March is exactly a year since their release on bail following an international campaign.

If the comrades are found guilty, then (most likely within the same week) they will be sentenced to jail terms of a minimum of 6 to 10 years.

We are asking comrades to rally to this cause once again to ensure that injustice is not brought upon these fighters for democracy and the rights of the poor in Zimbabwe.

We would ask that you please text protest messages of protest to:

• Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena + 263 712 801 172
• Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri + 263 712 808 290
• Police Minister Kembo Mohadi +263 712 605 424
• Security Minister Didymus Mutasa +263 0712 200 532

In the event that the activists are found guilty, activists in neighbouring South Africa will be staging a picket at the Zimbabwe embassy on Tuesday 20th March from 12 – 1pm, at 13 Boeing Street West, Bedfordview (on the opposite side of the road to East Gate shopping Mall). This is to add further pressure on the Zimbabwe tyrannical authoriies to ensure that they do not get away with jailing activists (again).

SAMWU trade union in South Africa has issued a call for people to rally to this cause once again.

We are asking activists to consider urgent action on Tuesday as well. For anyone on Facebook, please search for the page “Calling for the Release of Zimbabwe Activists” where updates are posted.

From the ZRP Public Relations department:

If you feel that while you are being questioned or searched at a roadblock, the details involved have harassed you, hinted for bribes, or been generally aggressive, you are advised to contact the ZRP Officers listed below.

The intention is for all ZRP details to have their rank, name and numbers on their uniforms but with current constraints this is not always possible.  Each Police Officer has a force number which should be given out if requested.

It should be noted that there are NO SUCH THING AS SPOT FINES, without an OFFICIAL RECEIPT, that is Form Z69 (j) Admission of Guilt.  Many Toad Blocks carry Z69 (j) for the convenience of the public.  Should it be inconvenient to pay immediately a “ticket” on Form 265 for payment at a Police Station within 7 days should be requested.  Failure to report to a Police Station within 7 days once Form 265 is issued will lead to prosecution.

Superintendent NCUBE: 0772 719 730 or 0712 769 768
Superintendent KANGWARE: 0712 415 491
Spokesperson Traffic Inspector Chigome: 0772 965 030

NATIONAL COMPLAINTS LINE: 24 HOUR Service (04) 703 631

It might seem hysterical, but I suggest you print this and keep it in your car.