In an ironic twist in the Gwisai case, the state’s key witness has been exposed as a fake – thanks in part to his Facebook profile.

This story made my night yesterday. I mean surely Rule #1 for a prospective undercover agent: Don’t develop social networking profiles with your real name. And certainly don’t use a picture of yourself!

With Mining Minister Mpofu boasting about the US$2bn in diamond revenue to be coming Zimbabwe’s way, the Committee for the People’s Charter issued their suggested priorities for this income.

We shared this with our subscribers, and some of them replied with their other top issues to be funded.

Note how ZESA tops the list for many – even before today’s electricity outage.

Fertilizer must be subsidized and Tokwe Mkosi dam must be completed

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I am not sure whether it was by design or error that you left out the emotive issue of electricity on your list of priority areas when most people are affected on a daily basis and we cannot sue ZESA for damage to electrical appliances caused by power outages. Government could also do well to establish a benefit fund for the disabled and dualise the Harare-Mutare highway.

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The need to regularize the hap hazard agric in farms that are producing below or nothing. Proceeds from diamonds can be channeled to enhance our agriculture by way of making the land allocation transparency and supporting the farmers to grow what is important and relevant than what fetches $ in the international market. Equitable distribution of these resources in the entire region is also important.

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Priority 8 – Subsidizing/make affordable rural electricity bill rates for rural institutions/entities such as rural shops which are billed commercial rates same as OK /TM supermarkets. Whereas rural businesses only generate income once a year on Christmas Day!

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One cannot underestimate the need for effective checks and balances when it come to the whole process of Diamond mining, processing, selling and accounting for the proceeds. Loose ends will breed chances of funds misappropriation. On the dualisation of roads, I suggest that the other major roads should be dualised  for at least up to twenty kilometers  from the city centre in order to enable free flow of vehicle in and out of the city centre.

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Please add item no.8 as follows: Electricity generation (Whether Zesa re-capitalization or new players) We cannot carry on like this.

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Yes more MUST go into education. School fees are preposterous. No normal person can afford them only the CROOKS. Also how much longer must we put up with credits and vouchers in supermarkets for change. It is an infringement of all human rights. Why don’t we all get up and protest! What is wrong with us. The day of reckoning must come soon.

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Yes! Thank you so much for outlining the recommendations which government should follow in as far as the distribution of wealth derived from natural resources is concerned, especially the controversial Marange diamonds. It is my understanding that youths from within & surrounding areas are not being considered for employment because they are MDC – by virtue of that area being an MDC strong-hold and that is most unfortunate and unfair.  I recommend that CPC look into that as well and there must be a total redress to the issue.

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They must also use the money to boost public busses (zupco) and we also ZBC to improve its standards for televisions since more than 60% of  country hav poor signals and the second tv is only for Harare. And th government must also improve the minimum wages to a better level.

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A fraction should be directed towards improvement of civil service salaries and working conditions.

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Other budget considerations for Minister Biti for 2012 Financial year

1. Bulawayo-kezi-Mpoengs Border Road  and Maphisa-Tshelanyemba-Mambale border roads need upgrading (all weather road)

2. Bulawayo-Nkayi  and Nkayi Lupane-Tsholotsho roads to be upgraded as a matter of agency

3. Re-building of the National Herd (livestock-cattle and goats)

4. Water source development, at least 2 big dams per district in agro-ecological region 5 and accompanying irrigation systems to improve food security

5. Methane gas and related industrial development in Lupane (Mat North)

6. All our roads used to be protected from stray animals, all the fence along roads disappeared during the land reform exercise, I think we need that fence back as a matter of agency to protect both our farmers and motorists (cross country activity)

7. With the climate change issues taking centre stage- there has to investment in that direction in addition to pasture land resuscitation and general environmental management

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I see all these stories in diamonds etc as a layman who has an interest in mining why is there no pressure on the platinum companies. they are making more money than the diamonds the diamonds in marange are alluvial at best conglomerates and not kimberlites so they wont last long.

But the Platinum deposits should be our saviour as a country we know only 5 companies in the world can set up a platinum mining operation but with our deposits and the companies operating them should we not be able to benefit as a nation from that.

Imagine if just the money generated from Platinum mining just goes through our banking system the difference that it will make to our economy right now there is no evidence that we have two big Platinum projects in Zimbabwe.

I am not partisan just a Zimbabwean who is watching from the sidelines. The Platinum and gold deposits are more sustainable. we must ask ourselves why we have dropped out of the top ten gold producers in Africa yet in the 90′s we were number 3 in Africa. On another note why give our iron ore deposits to a company that is just going to shift the iron ore out and process elsewhere we really need to look at all our minerals there, also chrome etc

It is sad that so much attention is focused on diamonds and as civil society people should cover all aspects of mining and see how zim can be helped.

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While I think that the 7 priorities for diamond revenue are very important, there is one glaring omission…the environment. This revenue is from mining, which wreaks havoc on sensitive natural ecosystems and only provides immediate benefits to humans as laid out in the list of priorities. This is somewhat short-sighted and unsustainable, as if we continue to take from the earth without giving back and caring for our natural resources – water, wildlife, trees and soil – we will end up in a much worse situation. So I think another priority should be something like “The restoration of the environment in all areas damaged by mining activities including tree planting and cleaning up toxic waste from mining, together with refurbishment of all National Parks and wilderness areas and investment in anti-poaching and community programs such as CAMPFIRE.” Without give and take, no system survives for very long.

Most likely Zanu PF will use the revenue from diamond sales to fund their election campaign, and all the violence that will go with it. Their lavish lifestyles also need to be maintained (at the very least). Yeah folks, Zimbabwe was liberated, didn’t yer know.

The Committee of the Peoples Charter recently issued their list of the top 7 priorities for Zimbabwe’s diamond revenue – see below. And Takura Zhangazha has warned against creating ‘diamond oligarchs’ in Zimbabwe.

Committee of the Peoples Charter (CPC) Press Statement On Seven (7) Priorities For Zimbabwe’s Diamond Revenue

The Committee of the Peoples Charter (CPC) notes the recent statements made by the Minister of Mines, Mr. Obert Mpofu on the recent Kimberly Process meeting in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at which Zimbabwe was given the go-ahead to sell diamonds from Marange to world markets at competitive prices. The Honourable Minister’s announcement that Zimbabwe will be able to make an estimated gross amount of US$2 billion per annum from these diamond sales is a matter that should be further explained with particular respect to the national fiscus and the intended priorities as to how this revenue should be utilized for the public good.

This is particularly important and urgent due to the fact that the Ministry of Finance will present the 2012 national budget this month. It is therefore imperative that this potential revenue be factored into Finance Minister Tendai Biti’s budget for 2012.

In this regard, it is the CPC’s firm view that the revenue acquired by the state via the sale of diamonds must be directed toward the following priority areas of our national economy:

1. The establishment of a social welfare and social benefit grants system for unemployed citizens, women, physically challenged citizens, the elderly and socially/economically disadvantaged children/minors.
2. The reintroduction of free primary school education and the subsidization of all government secondary schools in relation
3. The re-introduction of state subsidized and guaranteed student grants and loans for all tertiary level students
4. The provision of free healthcare for all together with the modernization of all of our referral and provincial hospitals through the purchase of the relevant equipment
5. The refurbishment of our railway lines, trains and coaches to provide public transport for both rural and urban areas.
6. The completion of the dualisation of the Harare-Bulawayo; Harare-Beitbridge highways.
7. The provision of clean and safe water for all citizens through the refurbishment of all urban water supply systems and the expansion of borehole water availability in all rural areas, together with the completion of the Matebeleland – Zambezi Water Project.

Where the government fails to commit diamond revenue to these six priority areas, it will be a travesty of social and economic justice. The CPC will be tracking the usage of this revenue with the intention of bringing the government to account and in order to curb corruption as well as the misplacement of priorities by the government.

An online report on President Robert Mugabe capping graduates from Chinhoi University last week made a passing remark about the Chancellor of Zimbabwe’s universities being not as sprightly as would have been expected, I suppose at least regarding the stamina that would be needed to preside over the graduation of so many students.

The reporter’s observation did however provide a hint about what is terribly wrong in this country about the executive branch, the public’s right to know and issues around the health – physical or otherwise – of people who claim to be in charge of government. Over the years, the president has continued to be “paraded” as a youthful lad still up to the task of the physically and psychologically taxing duties of being president of the Republic, yet we know much, much younger presidents, CEOs elsewhere have had their hearts suddenly stopping because of the hazards that come with that territory.

Surely does Her Grace, His Nibs, Georgy Podgey, Psycophant Numero Uno Mr. Eyebags Shamu and many others want to see the day when, in the middle of a speech, the old man clutches his chest and sends all into panic? Are these people going to claim they didn’t see it coming?

Come on, the man is only human (an 87 year old human) that is perhaps why so many people in this country always ask who exactly is in charge, because in other areas of existence, a chap like this would either have left office of his own volition or his colleagues would have advised him to go play golf, watch his grandchildren grow, and enjoy the remainder of his (questionably) fruitful life. Yet, because that hasn’t happened, it is obvious someone wants this guy to embarrass himself and croak right in front the cameras!

And to imagine there are folks who have been dragged before the courts for denigrating the President, making cruel jokes about his age, with one actually having said it’s only a matter of time before He meets His maker so that MT can rule. Ouch. People naturally say these statements because they fail to understand that insistence to continue against all evidence to slow down, and when they voice what are in essence their democratic opinions they suddenly become criminals!  Imagine punishing a guy for telling you stop behaving like a stud and quit patronising the sin bin: who the fuck do you think you are asking me to forego all these carnal pleasures? Take that mother… And a few days later, he dead, not because of HIV-related stuff, but because of a rhino-horn induced boner that refused to go away! A thousand ways to die?

Article 21 section 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Right states that; ” The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.”  This is of one of the international instruments used as the basis for the conduct of free and fair elections in a country. The major challenge with many countries is on how to guarantee the conduct of free and fair elections and to ensure equal suffrage.

The Mass Public Opinion Institute (MPOI) and The Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) foundation co-hosted a conference in Harare under the theme ” Pathway to Popular Legitimacy”. The purpose of the conference was to engage and promote reflective dialogue amongst Zimbabweans. The conference touched on various issues covering content of road map to free and fair elections and its challenges and opportunities and legislative reforms and imperatives of security sector reform.

In his presentation Mr Dieudonne N Tshiyoyo the Programme Manager of Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) highlighted that under the three phases of an electoral process, which are Pre-Election, Voting and Post-Election, the constitution of the country should guarantee a free and fair election. Freedom of movement, speech and assembly are some of the characteristics of free and fair elections. An Electoral Act and system that grants no special privileges to any political party or social group should to be put in place to ensure and guarantee the contact of a transparent free and fair election.

In the Zimbabwean context the Zimbabwe Election Support Network notes that the Global Peace Agreement signed by the three political parties in the country provided an opportunity for legislative reforms on laws like the Electoral Act, AIPPA and POSA thereby presenting an opportunity for the conduct of fair and free elections in the country. The role of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission came under the spotlight especially on the ballot stuffing issue.

Some of the issues raised emanated from the challenges, which were faced by voters in the previous elections conducted in the country. The voter’s roll and the presence of police officers to assist voters in the polling stations during elections came under the spotlight and the Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) highlighted that some of these issues are a result of the provisions of the law. Under some of the best practices being followed in other countries an independent electoral body is given the mandate to maintain the voters roll. Currently in Zimbabwe the Registrar General is in charge of the voters roll, registration of births and deaths and according to a survey conducted by ZESN, the voters roll was reported to be in shambles with some deceased people still appearing on the voters roll. This has prompted some civic organisations to lobby for an independent body like ZEC to be in charge of the voter’s roll.

The crowding out of private media from the limited media space and repressive media laws has also reduced the role the media in the conduct of free and fair elections. The current Zimbabwean situation has seen the media being used as an instrument to promote hate speech, individual interests within parties and criminalisation of some sections of society. Some of the remedies discussed include that the constitution should guarantee media freedom and access to information, the establishment of an independent broadcasting authority and harmonised media regulation through self regulatory mechanisms.

A small update from an observer on the ongoing trial of Munyaradzi Gwisai +5:

The cross-examination of key sate witness, a state informer who claims to be Detective Sergeant Jonathan Shoko commenced today (Tuesday 1 November) at Rotten Row Court in Harare. Defence Attorney Alec Muchadehama seeks to prove the unreliability of Shoko’s evidence which was presented last week. The state is heavily depending on its informer in the trial of our comrades Munyaradzi Gwisai, Tafadzwa Choto, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Hopewell Gumbo and others. Meanwhile the trial has been adjourned to Friday 4 November 2011.