Zimbabwe Weekly Headlines 18th February 2011

“Mwonzora and 24 Villagers Arrested and Detained In Nyanga”

The MDC-T MP for Nyanga North and COPAC co-chairperson, Douglas Mwonzora, is being detained at Nyamaropa police station, after being arrested outside Parliament on Tuesday, for allegedly instigating violence during a rally he addressed in his constituency over the weekend.

He denies the charges and instead accuses his ZANU PF opponent, Hurbert Nyanhongo, of storming his rally, something the MDC supporters ‘resisted’.

Consequently 24 villagers, all MDC activists, were arrested and are still detained at Nyanga Police Station where military and security operatives are interrogating them. ZANU PF militias have mounted a 24-hour watch of the station in a bid to beat up and arrest anyone intending to supply the detainees with food.

Among the 24 MDC supporters detained are two elderly villagers, 75 year-old Evangelista Machirita and 84 year-old Headman Nyakahuru. Both are reportedly frail and Nyakauru’s glasses are said to have been destroyed when ZANU PF militia manhandled him during his ‘arrest.’

None of the detainees appeared in court towards the end of the week and no explanation was given for their continued illegal detention.

“EU Upholds Sanctions on ZANU PF Officials”

 The European Union (EU) extended the targeted sanctions on Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF party officials for another twelve months while 35 of them were scrapped off the list.

25 individuals and 36 companies with suspected links to human rights abuses were added to a list of those already banned from the bloc. Assets of the firms, companies that the EU considers support Robert Mugabe's government, will be frozen. These companies are "…Zimbabwe-based but registered in Europe, they are used by the regime to channel money out of the country".

Robert Mugabe and his associates were slapped with travel restrictions by the EU in 2002 after allegations of human rights abuses and lack of rule of law, after a disputed violent Presidential election.

“Chihuri Summoned”

Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri has been summoned to appear before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs over the latest increase in political violence in Harare and other parts of the country.
Chihuri is expected to brief the committee on the police force’s failure to quell the violence that convulsed Harare and Chitungwiza two weeks ago. He is also expected to answer to allegations of police brutality and their alliance with ZANU PF. With great concern, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs chairman, Paul Madzore said, “…incidents of violence have been rampant in the country and we wonder what the police are doing to curb the violence. We want citizens of Zimbabwe to feel that they are being protected by the police force. That is why we are calling the Police Commissioner-General to appear before the committee”. Mr. Madzore added that the committee planned to visit different provinces in the country to conduct public hearings where people would be given a chance to air their views on violence.

“Gulf Complex Marauding ZANU PF Thugs Given Bail”

Eight ZANU PF vagrants who were arraigned to Harare magistrate court on Monday last week facing allegations of looting goods owned by foreign nationals at the Gulf Complex shops where on Tuesday granted bail by the presiding magistrate Mr Don Ndirowei.

The state immediately invoked section 121 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act which allows seven days to appeal against a court ruling.

Brian Matonga (27), Joachim Mabukwa (24), David Vanhuvaone (22) Daniel Mapfunde (19), Prince Nyandoro (18), Givemore Mpofu (18), Tawanda Chingwena (18) and Peter Meki (18), will now have to stay in remand prison until the lapse of seven days when the Supreme Court is expected to have made a ruling on their bail.

The eight stunned the court when they revealed that they received orders from Zanu (PF) bosses to attack foreigners and that the violence ‘was systematically coordinated from the party’s Harare provincial offices at 4th Street’. They also indicated that the real looters or criminals in the whole saga had been deliberately left out of the state papers by the police as they were party bosses. They said they had been promised some shops in the city most of which are owned by Nigerian nationals because Nigeria’s President, Goodluck Jonathan, had failed to take sides with President Mugabe at the recent AU summit that was held in Ethiopia.

“ZANU PF Seize Control Of Miss Zimbabwe 2011”

This year’s Miss Zimbabwe beauty contest was a flop because of Zanu PF’s meddling.  

Senior political and security officials scrambled to honour the winners of the event which was delayed by nearly three hours as organisers waited for the arrival of “guests” who were to crown the winners. The “guests” of the show were Minister of State and Security in the President’s office, Sydney Sekeramayi; Minister of Youth, Indigenisation and Empowerment, Savior Kasukuwere; Minister of Tourism and Hospitality,Walter Mzembi; Senate President, Edna Madzongwe and Harare Resident Minister David Karimanzira.

Finally, accompanied by a uniformed security personnel, Malaika Mushandu was crowned Miss Zimbabwe early hours of Sunday. Instead of utilising the eight beauty queens from African countries present at the event, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority decided to use politicians.

Joao Matandirani
Branch  Secretary
MDC Southend Hausunde