Mr Tsvangirai, the food situation in Zimbabwe is “not pleasing” because of Zanu PF’s land reform programme. NGOs in Zimbabwe wouldn’t have so much work to do if our country hadn’t been so screwed up by politicians. The way to “ensure food security” is to let Zimbabwean farmers farm the land. Instead we’re being fed by the West. Aapparently we’re a liberated country – go figure.

Addressing delegates to the 2010 Zimbabwe National Nutrition Survey last week, PM Tsvangirai said it was Government’s responsibility to tell NGOs where they should offer their support. More

This is why Zimbabweans shouldn’t pay their TV or radio licences and why companies shouldn’t advertise on state-controlled media:

Information and Publicity Minister and Zanu (PF) political commissar Webster Shamu has ordered all Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation four Radio stations’ Disc Jockeys and the two television channels to play some Zanu (PF) propaganda jingles he produced for at least twice an hour per each DJ’s shift. The launch of the propaganda jingles is believed to be in preparation for a possible election next year. More

Africa Goal is an exciting and innovative project that harnesses the popularity of the football World Cup to address HIV and AIDS in the region of the World most effected by the epidemic. Read more

As state witness
I told the court
that the one saying
they had been beaten
Had done the beating
in Uzumba
I have never been
to Uzumba
They said if I didn’t
say what they told me
I would get more than
broken ribs.
Don’t call me a coward
One held my hand
the other held my other hand
A third crushed a log
into my ribs
A forth crushed my testicles
for good measure
As state witness
I told the court
that the one saying
their buttocks had been burnt
their homes had been burnt
and their wives raped
Were the ones
who had actually done those
horrible things.

- Copyright Mgcini Nyoni

We’ve just received the latest report from the Research and Advocacy Unit, entitled Challenging Zimbabwe’s bloated executive.

The report discusses the fact that Zimbabwe has more Ministers than it is actually Constitutionally allowed to have. This has been the case since the swearing in of the inclusive government cabinet on 13 February 2009, but it has recently come back into public discussion. According to RAU, “on 7 May, Zimbabwean citizen and civil society activist Moven Kufa filed papers in the High Court challenging the constitutionality of the appointment of the extra Ministers.”

However, this court application has been largely ignored by the Zimbabwean media, both state and local.

The response of the MDC itself to the case – Morgan Tsvangirai is one of the respondents, in his capacity as Prime Minister – has exhibited a worrying lack of seriousness for a party that paints itself as the “rule of law party.” The report comments:

The Ministers cited as Respondents to the Application have not filed any opposing papers. The President, Robert Mugabe, and Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai are cited as the 1st and 2nd Respondents in addition to the Respondent Ministers. In a further irony, these two Respondents have not attested to any opposing affidavits. That task has been left to the Attorney-General who claims in his opposing papers to have the authority of both Respondents to attest an affidavit on their behalf and that he is constitutionally empowered to do so. So the very individual whose appointment is so hotly contested by Tsvangirai, Johannes Tomana, is now engaged by Tsvangirai to oppose what is stated as an attempt to compel compliance with the rule of law and the Constitution.

This situation becomes even more remarkable when one considers that the arguments advanced in the opposing affidavit by Tomana are, legally speaking, those of Tsvangirai and Mugabe. Supporters of Tsvangirai may then be astounded to learn what those arguments are and that Tsvangirai is prepared to be not merely associated with then, but to allow them to be advanced on his behalf.

Tomana, and thus Mugabe and Tsvangirai, contend that Moven Kufa is not entitled to bring the Application at all, as there has been no violation of his rights set out in the Declaration of Rights in the Constitution. They claim that Kufa has no legal right to complain that neither Mugabe nor Tsvangirai complied with the provisions of the Constitution when the appointments were made. Only parliament can do that, they claim. Parliament does indeed have the power to impeach the President for breaches of the Constitution. However, such impeachment requires a two-thirds majority of parliament in favour to succeed. Accordingly, if the contention of Tomana, Tsvangirai and Mugabe is correct, Tsvangirai and Mugabe are free to ignore the provisions of the constitution so long as two-thirds of the members of parliament or more do not object to these violations.

Read more about the case, its arguments, merits and challenges here.

The poem, Jasmine, by Zimbabwean poet and writer John Eppel has just been selected poem of the week by The Guardian. “John Eppel explores the duplicities of the word freedom while, in characteristic style, evoking the odours and symbolism of flowers.”

Jasmine

When they cried freedom, when the sweet
mingling of woodsmoke and jasmine
with dust – grass, granite, antelope
bone – gathered into wrists which turned

light the colour of blood, darkness
a memory of the colour
of blood – when their voices lifted
that song and sent it echoing

across Africa, I knew it.
Sibanda had taught it to me,
polishing the family’s shoes,
squatting outside the scullery

door. We both wore khaki trousers
many sizes too big; no shirt,
no shoes. I spat on the toecaps
while he brushed: and while he brushed

we sang: ‘Nkosi sikelel’
iAfrika…’ over and over
till the birds joined in. August birds.
‘… Maluphakanisw’ udumo lwayo …’ *

It comes back to me, this August,
now that the jasmine is blooming
and the air is stilled by woodsmoke;
how they cried freedom, and how I

knew their song. A lingering chill
pinches Zimbabwean sunsets
into the cheeks of my children
squatting beside me as I write.

It is their song too. I teach it
to them, over and over, till
my tired eyes are pricked with tears
held back, sweet smoke, dust and jasmine.

*(Zulu) “God bless Africa … Raise up her spirit.”