10th Anniversary Celebrations events

Mat South
26 July 2009

South Africa- Durban

1 August 2009

Manicaland
16 August 2009

Mash Central
30 August 2009

*Land audit a priority, says Prime Minister Tsvangirai*

Friday 10 July 2009

*Major Highlights ***

National Executive Committee Meeting

National Council Meeting

All Stakeholders Conference 13 to 14 July 2009

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, on Thursday said although he agreed
with the land reform programme, a lot needed to be done in order to rectify
what went wrong in the land distribution programme.

Addressing over 400 delegates at the Zimbabwe International Investment
Conference in Harare, Hon. Tsvangirai, said while there were disagreements
on the way the land reform programme had been handled, there was a universal
agreement for the programme.

“We need to rectify the problems surrounding the land reform programme for
the last 10 years and that that programme starts with the land audit
followed by the land commission which will deal with all matters arising out
of that audit and I am sure there many, including issues of compensation,
issues of title, issues of disputes on land,” said Hon. Tsvangirai.

He added that there was need to move to a phase where the land issue in
Zimbabwe was “de-politicised, de-racialised so that we deal with the phase
of agricultural productivity.”

Speaking at the same occasion, the Minister of Economic Planning and
Investment Promotion, Hon. Elton Mangoma said the Global Political Agreement
(GPA) signed last year and the formation of an inclusive government in
February had given renewed hope for Zimbabwe to make a proper start to
sustainable economic recovery.

“We are conscious that, when recovering from such a decade of negative
growth, stagnation and virtual collapse in the economy, emphasis on stable,
democratic and developmental nature of the state is critical to sustainable
investment,” he said.

The conference is being held under the theme; *“Zimbabwe: Redefining
Business and Investment Environment”.*

It is being held as the country tries to engage the international community
in its economic turnaround programme after a decade of corruption and
misrule.

*Chipinge South MP convicted, sentenced to 18 months*

The MP for Chipinge South, Hon. Meki Makuyana, was Thursday sentenced to 18
months in prison on trumped-up charges of kidnapping by a Chipinge
magistrate.

He was sentenced together with three other MDC members, Hardwork Masaiti who
is the councillor for ward 26 in Chipinge South, Simon Chaya and Wedzerai
Gwenzi.

Chipinge magistrate, Samuel Zuze sentenced the four to 18 months in prison
each and suspended by six months each of the sentence.

However, Hon. Makuyana has since appealed against the conviction and
sentence.

The MDC is concerned by the continued persecution and harassment of its
members and MPs by the State through the Attorney-General’s office in an
attempt to decimate its structures and reverse the party’s majority in
parliament.

At least seven MDC MPs have been convicted this year or are facing
trumped-up charges for various allegations.

They include Chipinge East MP, Hon. Mathias Mlambo, Mutasa Central MP, Hon.
Trevor Saruwaka, Hon. Lynnette Karenyi, Senator Roy Bennett and Mutare West,
Hon. Shuah Mudiwa.

*MDC in Local Government *


The chairman of Ruwa Town Council, Pinias Mushayavanhu

*MDC-led Ruwa council launches website*

The MDC-led Ruwa Town Council on Thursday launched a new website for the
town as it gears itself for growth and better investment.

The town is located about 30 km east of Harare.

The guest speaker at the launch, the MDC national spokesperson, Hon. Nelson
Chamisa said it was exciting that the town was being innovative as this
would help the city in attracting investors.

“The initiative shows that the town is doing well. This will obviously
attract new investors as they will be able to know more about the town and
what it has to offer,”

The chairman of Ruwa Town Council, Pinias Mushayavanhu said the town had
decided to re-brand in line with the international trends.

“We are trying to improve the brand image of Ruwa Town, as a symbolic
construction to be created within the minds of people with all the
information and expectations associated with Ruwa Town.

“If the town manages to get its brand recognised, it shall build up to a
point where the town will enjoy a critical mass of positive sentiment in the
market place as well as attract investment,” he said.

*Bulawayo** council donates to under-priviledged*

The City of Bulawayo on Thursday donated home based care packages to over 50
Sikulile-Zenzele care-givers in the city.

The donation was handed over to the care-givers by the deputy Mayor of
Bulawayo Councillor Amen Mpofu and will go a long way in helping terminal
ill patients.

“The community appreciates your work considering that it is a duty out of
free will and care givers do not have a salary at the end of the day. You
are doing a great job,” said the Clr Mpofu.

The Clr Mpofu thanked the home based care givers and urged them to continue
helping the sick especially at this time when the country was facing a
serious shortage of drugs and medical staff.

Each of the 50 individuals received an aid kit package.

*MDC Provincial News round-up *

*Aaron Chiringa Kuimba narrates his ordeal***

*Zanu- PF in Violence Mode in Mudzi West*

*Mudzi – *Zanu PF has stepped up its orgy of violence by moving around
threatening MDC supporters in Mudzi West district in Mashonaland East.

MDC supporters are living in constant fear in many rural areas as Zanu- Pf
supporters are threatening them.

Aaron Chiringa Kuimba, 61, the MDC chairperson for Shinga Ward 4, Nyambewu
village in Mudzi West has been living under constant threats from Zanu-Pf
supporters.

Narrating his story to *The Changing Times*, Mr Kuimba said that Zanu- Pf
youth promised every MDC supporter hell unless they surrender their support
for the Party.

‘The village head called for a meeting on the 19th of June supposedly to
update the community on what was happening. But we only realised that it was
a Zanu meeting as Misheck Chasakara, the Zanu-Pf chairman was addressing” he
said.

Mr Kuimba said some members of the MDC were forced to surrender, and those
who did not were threatened with abduction and murder.

The Zanu-Pf chairlady said that MDC supporters were to be left out of
projects that were taking place in the community.

Kuimba said “*Kune zvigayo zvedovi, zvekusvina mafuta, nemichina
yekudiridzira iri kupiwa ve Zanu chete isu tichisiwa”* (There are machines
for peanut butter and cooking oil projects as well as irrigation equipment
being given to Zanu-PF supporters which we are not getting because we are
not Zanu-PF)

He said that at the same meeting, the Zanu-PF leadership dismantled the
village committee that was in place and replaced it with one dominated by
Zanu- PF people.

Recently in Mudzi West, all youth who were responsible for unleashing
violence in the pre 27 June Presidential runoff were asked by the Zanu-Pf
Youth chairperson Tafadzwa Siyakurima to bring their names for payment for
their services.

The matter has been reported to the police but there has not been any
response.**

*Former Zanu PF MP Makova loots constituency property*

*Bikita-*Zanu PF’s Bikita West losing parliamentary candidate in the 2008
parliamentary election, Retired Colonel Claudius Makova, on Monday looted
office furniture belonging to the Parliament Information Centre at Nyika
growth point in Bikita West claiming that it belonged to him.

Makova, the former MP for Bikita West, was accompanied by some members of
Zanu PF’s militia who pose as Ministry of Youth Development youth officers
who loaded the furniture into a white Isuzu white truck.

The looting happened in the presence of office assistant, Cassiano Chaodza,
who watched helplessly as Makova went on the rampage threatening to unleash
the gang on the office attendants.

Chaodza said at around 10 am, Makova arrived at the office and demanded the
furniture. Bikita West was won by Hon. Heya Shoko of the MDC.

“They grabbed three office desks, five chairs and two cellphone handsets.
They threatened to be violent if we did not comply. I could not stop them
because they were in a mean mood. They also stole our personal cellphones.

“Makova was accompanied by youth officers who are well known Zanu PF
activists. Some of the youths are; Venancio Takawira Tongesai Masunda and
Evelyn Mabvira,” said Chaodza.

The MDC provincial secretary Hon. Tongai Matutu said Makova had no right to
take the furniture since it was parliament property.

“The fact that he is the former MP for the constituency does not give him
the right to take parliamentary property. We strongly condemn such actions.
The property does not belong to an individual,” said Honourable Matutu.

A report was made at Bikita Police but no arrests or investigations have
been made.

Meanwhile in Gutu, Masvingo, the Masvingo “governor”, Titus Maluleke left
hundreds of people shocked when he addressed a rally and challenged the
people gathered that they should follow the Kariba Draft.

Addressing a rally in Gutu North, the “governor” told the gathering that
Zanu PF wanted every one to abide by the Kariba Draft.

Zanu PF is trying to foist the Kariba Draft on the people despite calls by
the MDC and the civil society on the need of coming up with a new
people-driven Constitution.

*Zanu PF launches terror campaign in Buhera*

*Buhera *– Zanu PF supporters have started a terror campaign in Buhera,
intimidating and harassing MDC activists in the district.

Reports received by the MDC Manicaland provincial offices indicate that one
army Major Svosve and Zanu PF’s Women’s League chairperson Mawodzere are
leading the terror campaign.

Supported by Zanu PF youth militia, the two are moving around the district,
ordering everyone they suspect to be aligned to MDC to surrender and join
Zanu PF otherwise they risk loosing their livestock and property, among
other things.

The MDC last year won three out of the four constituencies in the district
in the harmonised elections with the other seat going to Zanu PF.

The Councillor for ward 18, Kenneth Mazviturira, confirmed the violence
reports.

“They are literally forcing people to join Zanu PF. A lot of people are now
leaving in fear as they fear losing their property,” said Clr Maziturira.

Some of the people who have received threats from Zanu PF supporters have
reported the matter to the police but no action has been taken.

*Quote:*

*“We are conscious that, when recovering from such a decade of negative
growth, stagnation and virtual collapse in the economy, emphasis on stable,
democratic and developmental nature of the state is critical to sustainable
investment,” said Hon Elton Mangoma at the Zimbabwe International Investment
Conference in Harare** . *

* *