ZIMA Chairman Joseph Nyadzayo with Dr Grace Mugabe. Pictures by Wilson Kakurira

Felex Share Senior Reporter
First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe today said authorities responsible for land in urban areas should be answerable for the demolition of houses built on illegal settlements.

She said it was disheartening that authorities chose to turn a blind eye when people were building, only to order the destruction of the houses after such investments.

Dr Mugabe made the remarks while handing over a house built by the Zimbabwe Music Awards (Zima) to musician Dickson “Cde Chinx” Chingaira in Harare.

“There are questions we are asking and we want answers,” she said.

Cde Chinx flanked by his wives Patricia and Ntombizodwa

“Someone must answer these questions out there, kuti ndiani akambopa land iyoyo, ndiyani akasainira, who was the councilor during that particular time, how did it go.

“We want to get the real story, not only the chorus that people built on undesignated land. I saw this happening and you all saw it. Inga huku nembudzi dzedu topfigira wani, what about a person.”

More details to follow….

Nick Mangwana View From the Diaspora
Social media has been praised for enhancing social connections. But there are some who have accused it of causing social disconnections. So, like everything else, social media is really a double-edged sword. But love it or loathe it, it is here to stay. It is proliferating and any establishment worth its salt has to find a way of leveraging it because if it chooses to be hostile to social media, it is the one that will lose out.

Up to this point, our Government has only decided to see the negatives of social media. This columnist is struggling to think of one way that the Government of Zimbabwe has taken advantage of social media. On the contrary, it has given it nightmares. But come to think of it, maybe it is positive that social media has kept all those unemployed young people otherwise engaged elsewhere. So instead of creating street activists, social media has created what are now known as “clicktivists”.

In Zimbabwe there has been a slow conversion rate of transitioning clicktivism to activism. But this honeymoon period is not going to subsist forever for the Zimbabwean politician and the establishment.

Many a politician has already suffered from the damage which comes from social media and clicktivists.Joice Mujuru was captured taking that call from the podium.

Her credibility as a stateswoman went up in smoke. A few days ago MDC-T’s Thoko Khupe was captured and clicked at bragging in the UK that she was in politics for the money. For nearly 20 years some bought the illusion that this lady and her acolytes were in politics to provide a public service for the common good.

Oh no, a confession came via social media that all along some people were hoodwinking the public to help their materialistic aspirations. Their hunger for the goodies and the need to serve just took tangential directions. All this is thanks to social media. So one would understand why some politicians hate social media. These visits to the UK are proving to be political suicide for Zimbabwean politicians. And before the reader asks, yes it is just a coincidence that the two examples given happen to be female.

But any politicians or establishment that refuse to embrace social media will do that at their own peril. We are not asking politicians to publish their entire lives for the world to see.

That is just pathetic to do that. Let’s leave certain attention seekers to do that.

While politicians are attention seekers as well, it is good for them to deploy social media as an interacting tool where they package their information and get feedback.

Politicians and bureaucrats do get involved in nefarious activities. But the advent of social media has made a lot aware that not only the State has a monopoly on playing Big Brother. The citizen armed with a smartphone is also Big Brother but a politician cleverly using a smartphone can counterforce the disadvantage which he has been placed on by the same. The same applies to the Government of Zimbabwe. It is time it fully embraces social media as a way of engaging citizens because if it ignores it, citizens will continue to engage without its input. Now, if it doesn’t articulate its own side in its own words, it should not complain of being misrepresented or painted in a negative light or people having the wrong perception.

There are online media portals and platforms upon which social capital is built. But all we have received so far from official corridors are either some discouragement from social media or at party level the denigration of same. One of the things said by GoZ is that social media erodes our culture. But like everything else in this world, it cuts both ways. Should we embrace it, we can use it to promote our culture. Should we ignore it, we risk it becoming our culture.

One can understand the uneasiness expressed by other individuals over the benefits of social media.They might be coming from a good place but here is something they have to learn to live with.

Not everything is a threat. There are other things that should be considered opportunities. And this is one of them. Why don’t organisations like ZACC have a Twitter Handle? We are living in an information age for crying out loud. If they do not engage with the grassroots and clicktivists they will continue being bashed in their domains.

Governments should not always fear being overthrown by a socialised populace. They should use the same social media to inform the population what good institutions are doing and set their own narrative.

Even the attitude in corporate Zimbabwe is quite a very slow reaction. Social media is shaping attitudes and mind-sets. It is shaping tastes, commercial and political choices. Whoever is slow to get in there will pay a steep price. Social media marketing is not a module in some obscure degree. It is now a full degree in many modern universities. But this is for another day.

Zimbabwe tragically remains a country with one television station. That’s a very constricted media space. But the information age we are living in has gone beyond this traditional medium. Information is moving fast and in real time. Live feeds and live broadcasts are done at events that fewer people are waiting for the 8pm main news. They are getting raw, unedited and unadulterated. This is what the establishment has to grasp. Nobody has a monopoly on breaking news because any citizen can break news now.

Current Affairs is no longer the domain of public broadcasters. A lot of people trust the citizen broadcaster because they have no agenda except to get the clicks and being the first. Of course, this is what has also produced Fakes News. It is the blogger and the unregulated newsmaker who can peddle anything that is a challenge. This is where the State has to find a way leveraging social media. Not to control it, but to be ahead of the game and not to let other forces control the narrative,

There is no doubt that social media is shaping public opinion. It is up to the establishment on how it is going to approach it. If it approaches it in an adversarial way, then this author doesn’t know who will be the winner but there is no doubt on who will be the loser -the establishment.

There is too much misleading information being peddled around that the only way to correct misinformation is to circulate correct information. And the best way to circulate correct real-time information is to use the same platforms that the consumers of information go to.

One ministry which has been a favourite of social media buffoonery is the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. This ministry has committed one public relations disaster after another. Yet it is the ministry that is meant to be the bedrock of correct information for our children. If it can’t disseminate correct information about itself and its policies, then how can we even be sure its disseminating correct information to our children in its curricula? What are the chances that a ministry that misinforms also miseducates?

The establishment needs to invest in understanding social media so as to leverage it. If it lags behind as it is currently doing, then it has a proper mess on its hands.

Where journalists used to speak truth to power, now its the citizen that speaks truth to power since a lot of journalists are now owned by power. But an establishment whose doctrine is “empowerment” of the individual should not feel threatened by the presence an empowered individual who is now capable of setting or influencing a political agenda. This should not be seen as a threat but an opportunity for participatory engagement. Those executive institutions that feel threatened by this adopt such an attitude because they are failing to creatively leverage this opportunity.

The Zimbabwe Government needs an institutional plan for using social media.

There is absolutely nothing wrong in publishing consultation papers and glean information and views from the public on social media.

Sometimes there is no need to pay consultants when all you need is to reach out to your people and the experts among them can make an input for free. This is what collaborative policy making is all about. When citizens are directly engaged and their views and expertise (through use of service experience) is freely taped in. An embracive approach to social media is part of “e-government”. Modern governance has shown that it’s better to engage than to ignore.

Some Members of Parliament are ahead of the game because they realised the importance of social media visibility to highlight their work. What has not happened yet is for a lot of MPs to establish Constituency Social Media pages and portals on which they interact directly with their constituents. The constituents need to see that their representatives are active but also need to be able to exchange information.

This is not just about being responsive to trends, but being with the people where the people are. Section 141 of the Constitution obligates Parliament to facilitate public involvement in its legislative and other processes. We all know that our representatives prefer to do their outreaches in a way that puts them in hotels and guarantees allowances. But there is no harm in enhancing participation by setting up platforms for gleaning public views on proposed legislation.

There is a cyberwar going on out there. It is up to the establishment to realise that cyberwarfare is only fought in cyberspace.

First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe greets an elated Cde Dickson “Chinx” Chingaira at a ceremony where she handed over to him a house built in recognition of his contribution to the country’s independence by the Zimbabwe Music Awards. Looking on is Zima chairperson Mr Joseph Nyadzayo

Felex Share and Sophia Chese
The long wait is over!

Veteran musician Cde Dickson Chingaira, popularly known as “Cde Chinx”, can now move into the house that the Zimbabwe Music Awards built for him.

The four-bedroomed house in Mabelreign, Harare, was handed over to the Chingaira family yesterday at a colourful ceremony presided over by First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe.

And Cde Chinx, who is battling cancer, made it to the event, albeit in a wheelchair.

Also read:

• ‘Roooger! Over, over standby!’ The voice that won a nation
• Big surprise awaits Cde Chinx
• Zima overwhelms Cde Chinx

It was a day of joy mixed with tears, which came 24 hours after the musician was discharged from hospital.

The house — which has two master bedrooms — has got everything that befits a modern house; fully painted, ceiling, tiles, cabinet fittings, lawn and pavements.

Near a black sliding gate at the entrance is a metal sculpture of Cde Chinx with a microphone in hand and carrying what appears to be an AK 47 assault rifle disguised as a guitar.

The event was graced by Government officials, musicians and businesspersons, with entertainment being provided by the Police Band, a group that has a long working relationship with Cde Chinx.

Cde Chinx, seating in between his two wives, Patricia and Ntombizodwa, shed tears throughout the event.

Zima, under the stewardship of its chairperson Joseph Nyadzayo, took about three years to complete the house.

Cde Chinx was given the Lifetime Achievement award by Zima in 2014.

The award is meant to honour living legends who have made it in the music industry.

Dr Mugabe hailed Cde Chinx for his role in the liberation struggle and after independence.

“We have a tendency of wanting to celebrate people when they are departed, but today we are celebrating what Cde Chinx has done for us through music whilst he is still with us,” she said.

“He went to war getting guidance from leaders like President Mugabe and it might be that Cde Chinx’s clothes were poisoned (by the Ian Smith regime) during the war, hence his being in a wheel chair today.

Play the video below:

“Vaiitwa kafiramberi muhondo ava. He was given a role in line with his talent of singing. He went to war because he wanted us to have freedom and a sense of freedom. For us to be here, it’s because of sacrifices of people like Cde Chinx.”

Dr Mugabe said the land reform programme, as enunciated in Cde Chinx’s songs was irreversible.

“At first people thought it was a political gimmick, but now they have seen a reality and even those in the Diaspora are calling back and coming to apply for land,” she said.

“We are not depriving anyone because this is our land. Those alleging human rights abuses and lack of rule of law should know that our colonisers never brought a grain of sand in this country. It’s a resource that does not expand and to those who thought it was a ploy, Zanu-PF now has the last laugh.”

The First Lady also had words of encouragement to Cde Chinx drawing her advice from Proverbs 16 verse 9.

“A man devises his way but the Lord directs his steps,” she said. “Gamba rinofa rakashinga, don’t despair, we all get sick and die eventually and people of Zimbabwe must desist from gloating over someone’s misfortunes.”

Hailing Cde Nyadzayo, she said: “He is not a selfish person. He has managed to fulfil Cde Chinx’s survival needs. We all need homes to shield ourselves from the hostilities outside there.”

Cde Nyadzayo, who shed tears during his speech, chronicled the difficulties encountered in the construction of the house.

Play the video below:

Family representative Mr Grey Makoni said: “As a family we have no enough words to describe this development. All we can promise is to take care of the house. It is beyond our imagination.

National Arts Council director Elvas Mari and Bob Nyabinde, who spoke on behalf of musicians, hailed Nyadzayo for fulfilling his pledge.

President Mugabe

Darlington Musarurwa in Durban, South Africa
President Mugabe arrived here yesterday for the 27th edition of the World Economic Forum on Africa (WEFA), which begins today.

He was seen off at Harare International Airport by Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, Cabinet Ministers, service chiefs and senior civil servants.

VP Mphoko is Acting President.

Ministers Patrick Chinamasa (Finance and Economic Development), Mike Bimha (Industry and Commerce), Obert Mpofu (Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion) and Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (Foreign Affairs) are accompanying the President.

President Mugabe will join host President Jacob Zuma and fellow African leaders President Edgar Lungu (Zambia); Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), Filipe Nyusi (Mozambique), Macky Sall (Senegal), Ameenah Gurib-Fakim (Mauritius), and King Mswati III of Swaziland at the economic forum.

The three-day event — running under the theme “Achieving Inclusive Growth through Responsive and Responsible Leadership” — will convene more than 1 000 delegates from 100 countries around the world.

According to the World Economic Forum, the meeting “aims to move leaders to change the way they approach development planning by designing policies that allow everyone to benefit from economic growth”.

Benefits of economic growth, WEF believes, are disproportionately distributed around the world.

Oxfam International, whose executive director Winnie Byanyima is also co-chair of WEFA, claimed in a report titled: “An economy for the 99 percent”, published on January 16 this year, that eight of the world’s richest men own the same wealth as the 3,6 billion people who make up the poorest half of humanity.

The world, it claimed, could see its first trillionaire in the next 25 years.

The federation of more than 20 international non-governmental organisations blames big businesses and the super-rich for fuelling inequalities in wealth by evading and avoiding taxes, including paying unfair wages. Organisers of WEFA say policy makers will explore how the African continent has to prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution — a phenomenon where technology is materially changing the way human being relate across the globe.

Some of the topical issues that will come under the spotlight include Africa’s large infrastructure gap, the digital divide, improving healthcare, financial inclusion, which is designed to help promote financial services to the general population, and promoting intra-regional trade.

Trade within the continent at 13 percent remains relatively low compared to Europe, North America and Asia, where it currently stands at 60 percent, 40 percent and 30 percent, respectively.

Since the turn of the millennium, Zimbabwe has made giant strides in empowering locals through redistributing 12 million hectares of land — considered by economists as the primary source of production — from 3 500 white minority farmers to 276 000 households.

Notably, beneficiaries included vulnerable and previously disadvantaged groups such as women, youth and war veterans.

Over the past 17 years, Zimbabwe has been challenging exploitative neo-liberal economic policies that favour multinational companies and minority groups. And it is this principal stand that has attracted sanctions from the European Union bloc and the United States of America.

First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe

Felex Share Senior Reporter
First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe yesterday said authorities responsible for land allocation in urban areas must be held accountable for their cruelty of watching people erect houses on illegal land without stopping them, only to pitch up to demolish the completed structures.

She said it was disheartening that those in charge of land allocation chose to turn a blind eye when people build houses on the illegal land.

Amai Mugabe made the remarks while handing over a house built by Zimbabwe Music Awards (Zima) to revolutionary musician Dickson “Cde Chinx” Chingaira in Harare.

Click here for more pictures

Read biography here

“There are questions we are asking and we want answers,” she said.

“Someone must answer these questions out there, kuti ndiani akambopa land iyoyo, ndiani akasainira, who was the councillor during that particular time, how did it go?

“We want to get the real story, not only the chorus that people built on undesignated land. I saw this happening and you all saw it. Inga huku nembudzi dzedu topfigira wani, what about a person?”

Local authorities, together with the Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Ministry are responsible for urban land.

Amai Mugabe went on: “You see someone building his or her house from the foundation level to window and roof level until completion, then when they are about to move in, someone comes and says it’s an illegal structure.

“Payaisimuka pese ipapa manga musingazvione here and you think we are all blind, we don’t see. Hutsinye hwakadaro hauite.”

Several houses have been destroyed in various suburbs in Harare and other towns, with nothing happening to those who superintend over the mess.

The First Lady said due diligence was needed before demolitions, with culprits being brought to book.

“Why don’t we go deeper, investigate issues, how it all started, how that piece of land was allocated to that particular person for him to say I own that land and the onus is on me to ensure development,” Dr Mugabe said.

“We leave them to develop while relaxed and happily, only for someone to come with a bulldozer to destroy. That’s unfair, let’s think again. People will be watching and they will never support you in future when you encounter your misfortunes.”

Dr Mugabe said people would have invested a lot of resources building those houses.

“You know we are living in hard times and we are working hard to eke out a living,” Dr Mugabe said. “Cde Chinx ekes out a living from singing and sings all night and sets aside something to construct a house and tomorrow someone comes and demolishes that house.

“Handifunge zvinoendesa nyika mberi izvozvo. I am seeing bulldozers every day destroying houses. These perpetrators who would have allowed people to build should be brought to book. You cannot just destroy someone’s house just like that and go scot-free.”

Some leaders, the First Lady said, did not have people at heart and concentrated on lining their pockets.

“There are people who are retrogressive, who just think about themselves and lining their pockets when in positions,” she said. “They don’t care about others.

“Authorities, I hope you will heed this call, we don’t want you to allocate land in a dubious and unscrupulous manner. We are not here to make each other suffer, but happy. Despite our positions in society, all our basic needs are the same, whether you are in Zimbabwe, South Africa or England.”

A number of land barons said to be working with some council and Government officials have emerged in recent times.

These connive to allocate land for residential stands to unsuspecting residents, who end up losing their money when their houses are destroyed for being built on illegal land.

Some land barons have been appearing before the courts where they produce papers from councils to prove they had been authorised to allocate the land by the authorities.

Herald Reporter
After having its first outside broadcast in Capetown in February at the Mining Indaba, Capitalk 100.4FM is set to register another first by broadcasting from Durban, South Africa at the World Economic Forum on Africa.

Business presenter Ruvimbo Kaukonde has been accredited to cover the prestigious event and conduct live programmes from the Durban International Convention Centre.

President Mugabe is already in Durban where he will join his South African counterpart President Jacob Zuma and several leaders of African countries at the event.

Convening over 1 000 delegates from all major stakeholder groups under the theme: “Achieving Inclusive Growth through Responsive and Responsible Leadership”, the meeting aims to move leaders to change the way they approach development planning by designing policies that ensure everyone benefits from economic growth.

Officials from outside Africa at the forum will include Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Germany’s Federal Minister of Finance Wolfgang Schäuble and Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy Brigitte Zypries.

The meeting has on its agenda initiatives for economic growth and social inclusion, digital economy and society, education gender and work, food security and agriculture, environment and natural resource security, health and healthcare and long-term investing and infrastructure.

Speaking to The Herald, Capitalk 100.4FM station manager Napoleon Nyanhi said: “As a radio station we have for some months been building our profile as the preferred business broadcast partner for all events that affect the Zimbabwean economy even if the events are outside Zimbabwe.

“We are very excited to be part of this prestigious event and we will ensure that our listeners are well informed on the African business trends.”

Felex Share Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe People First has split for the second time in two months after a faction in the party today officially appointed former Ambassador and Retired Brigadier-General Agrippa Mutambara as the interim leader.

The development did not go down well with another faction led by the party’s elders Messrs Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa. The faction led by the two elders said by so doing, Rtd Brig-Gen Mutambara and his group had expelled themselves from the party.

They accused Rtd Brig-Gen Mutambara of using money to land the post. ZimPF first imploded in February when then interim leader Dr Joice Mujuru parted ways with the council of elders led by Messrs Gumbo and Mutasa.

Dr Mujuru later formed National People’s Party (NPP) while the elders remained in ZimPF. Mr Mutambara today convened a press conference together with Messrs Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, Munacho Mutezo, Claudious Makova and other officials whom they claimed were members of the steering committee running the party.

Mr Bhasikiti said they only wanted Messrs Gumbo and Mutasa to be advisors in the party with no leadership positions. He said they rejected a proposal whereby Mr Gumbo wanted to be the president of the party, with Mr Mutasa coming in as his deputy.

More details to follow…..

Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku

Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Court Reporter—
Former Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku has died, barely three months after leaving office. He was 70. Justice Chidyausiku succumbed to liver and kidney complications at a hospital in South Africa yesterday. The senior judge’s brother Ambassador Boniface Chidyausiku confirmed the death, saying Justice Chidyausiku had been unwell for close to two months. “Yes, I can confirm the death of my brother,” he said.

“He passed on today (yesterday) in South Africa while receiving treatment.

“He had been unwell for close to two months, but I cannot really tell the cause of death because at the time of death, the doctors were still trying to establish the problem.”

Ambassador Chidyausiku later told ZBCTv News that his brother succumbed to liver and kidney complications.

The Chidyausiku family, he said, was working on repatriating the body for burial.

“We are still working on modalities to repatriate the body for burial,” he said.

“We are still at planning stage and detailed funeral arrangements will be announced later.”

The Herald understands that Justice Chidyausiku was airlifted to South Africa with Government assistance for further treatment on Sunday.

Justice Chidyausiku retired from the bench on March 1 this year when he attained the mandatory retirement age of 70 after serving as head of the judiciary for 16 years.

He was appointed as Zimbabwe’s Chief Justice in July 2001.

Born on February 23, 1947 in Domboshava, Justice Chidyausiku attended Mutake School at Makumbi Mission, and then St Ignatius College in Chishawasha.

He got a place at the then University of Rhodesia from 1968 to 1972 where he read law.

He then went into private legal practice afterwards.

At the 1974 general election, Justice Chidyausiku won the Harare African Roll Constituency, standing with the unofficial support of the African National Council which had been set up by Zanu, Zapu and Frolizi.

He acted in opposition to the government of Ian Douglas Smith.

Justice Chidyausiku stood down from Parliament at the 1977 election.

In the 1980 election, Chief Justice Chidyausiku was elected as the 12th on Zanu-PF’s list for Mashonaland East Province when Zanu-PF won the elections.

He was Deputy Minister in the then Ministry of Local Government and Housing and of Justice from 1980, and was promoted to be Attorney-General in 1982.

Justice Chidyausiku was later promoted to be a judge and served as chair of the Constitutional Commission charged with drafting a new Constitution for Zimbabwe in 2000.

After the resignation of former Chief Justice Anthony Gubbay, Justice Chidyausiku was appointed Zimbabwe’s new Chief Justice in July 2001.

Mourners are gathered at number 16855, Ranelagh Road, off Orange Grove Drive, in Highlands, Harare.

Christopher Mutsvangwa

Takunda Maodza Assistant News Editor—
Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) chairperson Mr Christopher Mutsvangwa yesterday said his association stood guided by Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantino Guveya Chiwenga’s counsel that they must respect the leadership in Zanu-PF and Government. War veterans, Mr Mutsvangwa said, would give Gen Chiwenga’s words the weight they deserve. Gen Chiwenga is the surviving most senior commander of the Second Chimurenga on the Zanla side.

In an interview with The Herald, Mr Mutsvangwa said Gen Chiwenga was a very senior commander who seldom strayed into political issues and it was wise to listen and abide by his words when he spoke.

“He is a serving General and he never normally strays into political issues,” he said.

“He is also a very senior commander. He went to war in 1973 when he was very young.

“He has built up a lot of experience and wisdom and so when he decides to say something we give it due weight and gravity. It is only right and proper that we listen to him with respect.”

Asked why some war veterans had of late been engulfed in negativity, Mr Mutsvangwa said opinions differed, but the ideology remained the same.

“There are more than 30 000 war veterans,” he said. “We went to war and fought on voluntary basis. War veterans make conscious decisions about issues which face them.

“There is nothing wrong with diverse views among war veterans. We do not have to sing from the same hymn book. We are not clones of each other. We think differently, but we come from the same ideological orientation.

“If we have good intentions towards each other, we will always find each other. We find common ground afterwards because we have gone through the same ideological mill.”

In an interview with The Herald and Sunday Mail on Monday, Gen Chiwenga said Zimbabwe’s security services would not stand by while rogue elements belittle their Commander-in-Chief President Mugabe.

He warned that dissent from quarters that should know better would not be tolerated.

Gen Chiwenga said many of the people making political noises today were either utterly misguided, had a history of treachery or were Johnnies-come-lately to the struggle.

This followed a stream of commentary in the private media from a war veterans grouping trying to create the impression that the majority of liberation fighters — who are a Reserve Force — have lost faith in President Mugabe.

Gen Chiwenga’s sentiments came on the back of claims by some politicians within Zanu-PF that they were the President’s number one backers, yet they had a well-documented history of treachery.

Gen Chiwenga said people like ZNLWVA spokesperson Mr Douglas Mahiya should appreciate that they were fronting an NGO and not the majority of ex-combatants.

“I am talking on behalf of the Defence and Security Services of the country; and besides that, on the Zanla side, I am the surviving most senior commander. And I am not in the (war veterans) association,” he said.

“But when they go out there they talk as war veterans. They must talk as a war veterans association. But who are these people? What were they during the struggle that makes them think that they are now more revolutionary than Zanla and Zipra at the height of war? What role did they play?

“If they understood the political teachings — that the party commands the gun and not vice versa, that everyone must respect the leadership — they should know that today in independent Zimbabwe we must all respect the leadership both in Government and in the party.”

Gen Chiwenga said anyone with a grievance should follow the correct channels to air their views, and already such opportunity had been presented by President Mugabe to all war veterans — and not just a single association — when he invited them to last year’s historic indaba.

He dismissed claims that he should not intervene in such matters, asserting that his history as a liberation fighter, and his status as the Commander of the ZDF and a citizen gave him the right to defend his Commander-in-Chief and safeguard Zimbabwe’s stability.

“Speaking on behalf of the Defence and Security Services of the country, this nonsense must now come to an end,” he said. “We will not have our Commander-in-Chief being belittled by nobodies, who never commanded any battle … Ngatiregei kudaro.

“Nevamwe zvino vakuzviti vanoziva, tafunda sitereki, tava ma professor — vakatiza hondo iyi. Nhasi ikozvino izvi they now know.”

Mr Mahiya yesterday promised to contact The Herald with a comment each time he was phoned, but never did.

He was quoted in the private media yesterday as saying: “If the commander (Gen Chiwenga) has spoken, we have to listen to him because tiri vana vadiki, tinovatya.

“What he says we will do. I am sorry that I said too much.”

President Mugabe

Darlington Musarurwa in DURBAN, South Africa—
President Mugabe is today expected to address the 27th World Economic Forum on Africa here on the leadership and guidance needed to achieve sustainable economic growth on the continent. As the keynote speaker during the morning session titled “Eye on Fragile States”, President Mugabe will set the parameters for discussions needed to build consensus on Africa’s future growth trajectory. Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi said yesterday that the veteran statesman would also deconstruct the perception that Zimbabwe is a fragile State.

Other speakers who will make interventions during the session include Dr Donald Kaberuka, the immediate past president of the African Development Bank, Forest Whitaker American actor and Unesco special envoy, Victor Ochen and Anton du Plessis.

The Fragile State Index 2016 published by US think tank, Fund for Peace in collaboration with Foreign Policy Magazine, ranked Zimbabwe as a fragile State.

The ranking, which has attracted controversy since it started in 2005, ostensibly assesses vulnerability to conflict or collapse.

“It is quite clear His Excellency, the President, has emerged as a leading spokesperson for economic diplomacy,” said Minister Mumbengegwi.

“There was a time when diplomatic interaction was largely political, but because of the various interventions by our President at various international fora over a number of years, you will notice that the recently concluded African Economic Platform (March 19 to March 21, 2017), he was the lead speaker at that Summit.

“And also, during this fora, he is the key note speaker. He is in fact, going to be the opening speaker to set the parameters of what needs to be done in order to achieve economic development.”

Minister Mumbengegwi noted that President Mugabe’s leadership, especially during his tenure as the chairperson of sadc and the African Union had ably laid the foundation for not only local economic growth, but regional and continental growth as well.

During his tenure, President Mugabe successfully spearheaded the conception and “consummation” of AU’s Agenda 2063 and sadc’s Industrialisation Strategy.

Agenda 2063 in particular, is designed to promote an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa.

Minister Mumbengegwi said: “Our President played a key role in the decisions which were arrived at related to that agenda.

“At the African Union level, we have the Agenda 2063, which was consummated by the African Union during his chairmanship, and at the sadc level, we have got the Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap, which was, as we all know, his brainchild when he was chair of sadc, and (it) was actually formulated, developed and adopted in Harare.

“Now, at our own level, we have got Zim-Asset, which is our national economic blueprint, so you can see that it all is a super-structure which has been developed nationally, regionally, continentally as well as globally.”

WEFA 2017, he said, is part of an economic diplomatic thrust to achieve integration in sadc and Africa.

“So, it is for us as Zimbabweans a very important meeting, not only for the contribution His Excellency, the President, has been asked to make, but also for the benefit that we are as a country bound to gain,” said Minister Mumbengegwi.

Zimbabwe, under President Mugabe’s Government, has made giant strides in empowering the generality of the population, particularly vulnerable groups that are outside the mainstream economy.

Since the turn of the millennium, Zimbabwe has redistributed 12 million hectares of land — considered by economists as the primary source of production.

Also, over the past 17 years, Zimbabwe has been challenging exploitative neo-liberal economic policies that favour multinational companies and minority groups.

Victoria Ruzvidzo and Darlington Musarurwa in Durban, South Africa

President Mugabe has said Zimbabwe is not a fragile State and such assertions can only be made by those that are misguided and ill-informed about the state of development in the country.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum on Africa today, President Mugabe said the country’s rich human mineral resource and human capital base could not lend credence to such a description.

More details to follow…..

From George Maponga in Masvingo
War veterans here have thrown their weight behind Masvingo West National Assembly member Cde Ezra Chadzamira in his quest to become the ruling party chairman for the province ahead of tomorrow’s elections.

Cde Chadzamira once served as zanu-pf chairman for Masvingo before he was suspended by National Political Commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere together with two other ruling party provincial chairmen for alleged insolence.

He will square up with war veteran Retired Colonel Mutero Masanganise in a weekend poll re-run after the first election between the pair held at the end of February was inconclusive.

During the February poll, voting only took place in 64 percent of the 408 party districts that were supposed to vote with polling failing to take place in some areas owing to a number of factors including bad weather.

The zanu-pf Politburo ordered a re-run after provisional results released by Politburo member Cde Jorum Gumbo saw Cde Chadzamira leading by 12 393 votes against Retired Colonel Masanganise’s 4 888 votes.

Masvingo provincial war veterans chairman Cde Tendeukai Chinooneka yesterday said former freedom fighters in Masvingo had met and agreed to back Cde Chadzamira.

“War veterans’ leaders from all the four corners of the province met at Victoria High School on Wednesday where they agreed to throw their lot behind Cde Chadzamira.

“We met as war veterans’ leaders drawn from all districts in Masvingo and resolved to back Cde Chadzamira in Saturday’s elections to choose the zanu-pf chair. As war veterans we are guided by what people want and we are the fish that survives in water which is the people so we stand guided by what they want and in this case they want Cde Chadzamira so he is the one we are backing,’’ he said.

Cde Chinooneka pointed out that the former freedom fighters in Masvingo also noted that Cde Chadzamira was clearly the people’s choice as evidenced by the number of votes he amassed in the first election in February.

He said besides resolving to back Cde Chadzamira, war veterans in Masvingo also re-affirmed their loyalty to President Mugabe who is the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.

“The war veterans in Masvingo unanimously pledged their unwavering support and backing to President Mugabe as zanu-pf gears for the 2018 elections.

“We made it very clear that we are fully behind the President and we will not back down in supporting him because of his visionary leadership dating back to the pre-independence era,’’ said Cde Chinooneka.

Masvingo war veterans also agreed to push for the ex-freedom fighters to be considered in irrigation projects to be initiated after the commissioning of Tokwe-Mukosi dam.

The backing of Cde Chadzamira by war veterans in Masvingo makes him a firm favourite to romp to victory in the elections.

The polls will be superintended by Cde Gumbo and his Politburo counterpart Cde Cain Mathema.

President Mugabe

From Victoria Ruzvidzo and Darlington Musarurwa in Durban, South Africa—
PRESIDENT Mugabe has dismissed assertions that Zimbabwe is a fragile state, stressing that those who labelled it so were misguided and ill-informed about the state of development in the country.Speaking at the World Economic Forum on Africa here yesterday, the President said Zimbabwe was one of the most developed countries in Africa and did not exhibit traits of a fragile state.

“Zimbabwe is one of the most highly developed countries in Africa and after South Africa I want to know which country has that level of development that we have in Zimbabwe.

Highlights . . .

• Zim stable, open for business.
• Second only to SA in development.
• Highest literacy rate in Africa.
• Endowed with natural resources.
• Encumbered by illegal sanctions.

Also read:

• Zim open to investment

“We have 14 universities, our literacy is over 90 percent and it’s the highest in Africa. Yes, we have our problems. Yes, certainly, but we have resources more than an average country in the world.”

He said Zimbabwe was endowed with natural resources such as gold and diamonds, while the country was expecting a bumper harvest this year for crops that include maize, cotton and tobacco.

“We are not a poor country and we can’t be fragile with these resources. If someone wants to call us fragile, they are free to do so. I can call America fragile.
“They went on their knees at one time and they were assisted, some of their companies.”

A United States-based think tank Fund for Peace in collaboration with Foreign Policy Magazine ranked Zimbabwe as a fragile state.

The ranking, which has stirred controversy since it started in 2005, ostensibly assesses vulnerability to conflict or collapse.
Mr David Rothkopf — the publisher of the Peace Magazine — has also been questioned for his links with the US administration.

Rothkopf is the founder of Intellibridge Corporation, a provider of “open-intelligence” for the US “national security community”, among other clients.

Before founding the company, he was the managing director of Kissinger Associates, the international advisory firm founded by former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger.

South African president Jacob Zuma, who met President Mugabe later in the day for bi-lateral talks, said he agreed with President Mugabe’s take.

Briefing local journalists after the meeting with the President, the South African president said, “Well, I think the President answered that very well in the discussion because he indicated and said it is the view of others to call it fragile, but as far as he is concerned he described how Zimbabwe is, and I agree with the President.”

Immediate-past president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Dr Donald Kaberuka also noted that there was a tendency of appropriating the term on African countries only, which is not correct. Experts, he argued, had to focus more on the concept of fragility and not fragile states as almost every country was arguably fragile to some extent.

“The idea of fragile states is an old concept. There are no fragile states. Every country has got elements of fragility. Anyway for people in this room I think you should remember that before 1945, the areas with the largest fragility were in the European Union space. In fact, the whole construct of post 1945 multilateralism was built on European problems. By 1960 when many of the countries in Africa were getting independent; in fact Asia at the time was the continent were the elements we refer now as fragility were most dominant.”

Bretton Woods Institutions – the World Bank group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) – which were formed to respond to the critical need by European countries to rebuild from the ruins of World War II, which ended in September 1945.

Dr Kaberuka however urged African leaders to deal with elements of fragility on the continent, which seemed to be worsening in recent times.
“For instance, famine in Sudan is not an issue of drought but its an issue of governance, of power and of failure to attend to the concerns of the people,” he said.

Delegates from Zimbabwe’s private sector attending the forum here said President Mugabe’s view was beyond contestation.

Old Mutual Africa Emerging Markets chief executive officer for Rest of Africa Mr Jonas Mushosho said the veteran statesman’s views are consistent with those that are widely held in the market as fragility should be viewed within the context of every state.

“Fragility should not be seen in the light of states. There is an element of fragility and solidity in every state,” he said, stressing that Zimbabwe’s participation at the WEF 2017 was highly commendable.

“If you have the state of the world being discussed as is the case here, then its very positive that the President and so many ministers are here to listen to other views. We will emerge richer by tapping into what is happening around us.

Mr Rinos Mautsa, who is part of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers community, said the President’s principled stand against attacks from countries wishing Zimbabwe ill was encouraging for the youths.

“As youths we commend the President for standing up for our country and for emphasising that governments are duty-bound to create employment for the young as a critical component of the development process.

“Fragility is a highly contested phenomenon. What matters most in the end is who is conceptualising it, at what time and with what intentions. Zimbabwe, like any other country has its fair share of challenges but to refer to it as a fragile state is a totally misconstrued assertion,” he said.

The Global Shapers community is a network that is led by young people who are considered to have a passion to develop their communities.

Asked about the role youths could play in shaping the continent’s future, President Mugabe indicated that they needed to be oriented in order to play a meaningful role in economic development.

“It depends on the situation, but I think the issue of the youths can be addressed in a number of ways. First of all, we have to educate them in order for them to take some part in the development of the economy, so they can have, and if they take as many as 11 or more years at school – in our case we want them to go up to at least ‘O’ level – but in other countries it might be different.

“And even in our case they want to proceed much further, which is good, to ‘A’ level, secondary education, and university, but you cannot accommodate them all at the universities. You could have (them ) have diplomas at the tertiary training programmes; that’s that.

“Practical work also, they must have,” he counseled.

“They can be trained as carpenters, as technicians and so on. That is one area. But they also want to take part in politics, and we have organised them. Parties depend on the youth for viability – youth and the women for viability. But politics, as politics, that does give them money, you know; it’s to get them into a situation where they can support the Government.”

According to President Mugabe, civil unrest on the African continent is being stoked in some cases by the fact that youths become impatient with the pace of economic growth, especially in cases where investment remains low.

“In our situation, our economies are still developing and are not able to grow at a speed which can absorb the employment of the youth and the population of the young, both boys and girls.

These young ones look up to government to give them employment, so governments must do everything in order to ensure that they have food and beyond food.”

WEF ends here today.

Mr Matemadanda

Takunda Maodza Assistant News Editor—
Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) chairperson Mr Christopher Mutsvangwa yesterday called his lieutenants — Messrs Victor Matemadanda and Douglas Mahiya — to order, barring them from speaking on behalf of liberation war fighters.Mr Mutsvangwa said in an interview that his word was final and the association’s executive was not only in agreement with him, but stood guided by his word.

Read more……..

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• Mahiya: More than a leadership gone rogue
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• Relief for war vets executive
• Trial date for war vets executive members set
• War Veterans remand application dismissed
• War vets trial in false start
• War vets leaders off remand
• ED slams rogue war veterans
• Police dismiss war vets claims
• Apologise to President, Mahiya told

Mr Mutsvangwa on Wednesday said ZNLWVA stood guided by Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantino Guveya Chiwenga’s counsel that war veterans should respect the leadership of Zanu-PF and Government.

Gen Chiwenga said this after noticing how some members of the war veterans’ association were unabatedly disparaging the leadership of the party and Government in the privately-owned media.

Only yesterday, the association’s secretary-general Mr Matemadanda appeared to defy Mr Mutsvangwa, saying Gen Chiwenga was an appointed officer and “must be seen under the Constitution to be defending the President”.

He was further quoted as saying Gen Chiwenga “was commander of the army, not civilians”. But Mr Mutsvangwa yesterday poured cold water on the utterances saying: “The chair has spoken. I am the final word and that is the position of the association.

Mr Mahiya

“That is the position of the ZNLWVA executive. They stand by my word as chair. We do not qualify the position of the chair.”

Mr Mutsvangwa explained circumstances surrounding Mr Matemadanda’s remarks in the private media.
“Mahiya had the opportunity to correct himself because I talked to him,” he said. “Matemadanda was in Gokwe and I was unable to talk to him. He was not on the same page with others and was, therefore, out of touch. You may talk to him now.”

When The Herald contacted Mr Matemadanda, he referred questions to Mr Mutsvangwa.
“Handina chandichataura. We do not operate as individuals. We operate as an association,” he said.

On Wednesday, Mr Mutsvangwa told The Herald that his association stood guided by Gen Chiwenga’s counsel.
“He is a serving General and he never normally strays into political issues,” he said. “He is also a very senior commander. He went to war in 1973 when he was very young.

“He has built up a lot of experience and wisdom and so when he decides to say something we give it due weight and gravity. It is only right and proper that we listen to him with respect.”

In an interview with The Herald and The Sunday Mail on Monday, Gen Chiwenga said Zimbabwe’s security services would not stand by while rogue elements belittle President Mugabe, their Commander-in-Chief.

He warned that dissent from quarters that should know better would not be tolerated.
Gen Chiwenga said many of the people making political noises today were either utterly misguided, had a history of treachery or were Johnnies-come-lately to the struggle.

This followed a stream of commentary in the private media from a war veterans grouping trying to create the impression that the majority of liberation fighters — who are a Reserve Force — have lost faith in President Mugabe.

Gen Chiwenga’s sentiments came on the back of claims by some politicians within Zanu-PF that they were the President’s number one backers, yet they had a well-documented history of treachery.

Gen Chiwenga said people like ZNLWVA spokesperson Mr Mahiya should appreciate that they were fronting an NGO and not the majority of ex-combatants.
“I am talking on behalf of the Defence and Security Services of the country; and besides that, on the Zanla side, I am the surviving most senior commander. And I am not in the (war veterans) association,” he said.

“But when they go out there they talk as war veterans. They must talk as a war veterans association. But who are these people? What were they during the struggle that makes them think that they are now more revolutionary than Zanla and Zipra at the height of war? What role did they play?

“If they understood the political teachings — that the party commands the gun and not vice versa, that everyone must respect the leadership — they should know that today in independent Zimbabwe we must all respect the leadership both in Government and in the party.”

Gen Chiwenga said anyone with a grievance should follow the correct channels to air their views, and already such opportunity had been presented by President Mugabe to all war veterans — and not just a single association — when he invited them to last year’s historic indaba.

He dismissed claims that he should not intervene in such matters, asserting that his history as a liberation fighter, and his status as the Commander of the ZDF and a citizen gave him the right to defend his Commander-in-Chief and safeguard Zimbabwe’s stability.

“Speaking on behalf of the Defence and Security Services of the country, this nonsense must now come to an end,” he said. “We will not have our Commander-in-Chief being belittled by nobodies, who never commanded any battle … Ngatiregei kudaro.

“Nevamwe zvino vakuzviti vanoziva, tafunda sitereki, tava ma professor — vakatiza hondo iyi. Nhasi ikozvino izvi they now know.”
Mr Mahiya yesterday promised to contact The Herald with a comment each time he was phoned, but never did.

He was quoted in the private media as saying: “If the commander (Gen Chiwenga) has spoken, we have to listen to him because tiri vana vadiki, tinovatya.
“What he says we will do. I am sorry that I said too much.”

A bulldozer destroys a house at an illegal settlement along Airport Road in Harare last year

Christopher Charamba and Talent Gore Features Writers
On Tuesday, during the handover of Cde Chinx’s new home in Sentosa, Harare, the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe spoke on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. She mentioned how shelter was a basic need that one requires to survive.

In order to satisfy this and other needs on Maslow’s ladder, most if not all people aspire to be homeowners. Some buy already built houses or apartments while others purchase land in order to build their own houses.

Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to buy a home or land on which to build as this is a major investment.

So when one manages to do so, there is a great feeling of accomplishment.

Some however, have had this achievement stolen from them by unscrupulous individuals who took advantage of people’s desire for shelter and sold them land illegally.

One such person, as the First Lady pointed out, was Cde Chinx.

The First Lady questioned how it was that land was sold to an individual and that person was allowed to build a house on this piece of land to completion before the authorities came in and deemed this illegal.

“You see someone building his or her house from the foundation level to window and roof level until completion, then when they are about to move in, someone comes and says it’s an illegal structure.

“When the house was going up could you not see it? Such malice is not right,” she said.

Dr Mugabe bemoaned the fact that people who were earnestly looking to provide shelter for themselves would see their homes destroyed after they had been exploited.

She added there was need for investigations into the issue of land barons and those caught on the wrong side of law must be arrested.

“I am seeing bulldozers every day destroying houses. These perpetrators who would have allowed people to build should be brought to book. You cannot just destroy someone’s house just like that and go scot-free.

“These are the questions we are asking and we want answers. Who was the councillor during that particular time?

“We want to get the real story, not only the chorus that people built on undesignated land. Why don’t we go deeper, investigate issues, how it all started, how that piece of land was allocated to that particular person for him to say I own that land and the onus is on me to ensure development,” she said.

The issue of land barons and the illegal sale of land is not a new one and has been going on for years.

In December 2013, more than 14 000 residential stands allocated to home-seekers in Chitungwiza and Manyame Rural District Council were deemed illegal and the structures they had built were set to be demolished following a Government audit on illegal structures.

The audit team recommended the arrest and prosecution of land barons who are mainly housing co-operatives, councillors and village heads after it emerged that they looted and illegally sold 23 074 stands that did not belong to them, pocketing more than $20 million.

United We Stand Multi-Purpose Co-operative, which is believed to be run by some councillors and other influential people in Chitungwiza, was singled out as the chief land baron both in Chitungwiza and Seke.

In October 2014, a Harare City Council Audit Committee was tasked to investigate and report on land barons who are parcelling out invaded council land and charging desperate citizens exorbitant fees in Mufakose, Kuwadzana and Glen Norah, among other residential areas.

In October last year, three members of the Kuwadzana Home Industry Housing Co-operative were slapped with five-year jail terms for illegally parcelling out 24 hectares of council land.

The trio converted an open space reserved for recreational purposes into illegal housing stands, prejudicing council of $1,1 million.

The same month, more than 3 000 families were left homeless after their houses built on land belonging to BAK Storage Company along Harare-Masvingo Road were razed to the ground by the Sheriff following a High Court order to evict the illegal occupiers. The houses were built on 70 hectares of land belonging to the storage company.

At the time BAK Storage property manager Mr Lovemore Chivaura said the company sympathised with innocent home seekers who might have been duped by land barons into participating in illegal settlements.

The crisis of land barons has continued to persist as action on perpetrators has been slow and somewhat ineffective.

Last year, legislators called for stiffer penalties on land barons in the wake of several people being duped by criminals who irregularly acquire pieces of urban land and sell them to desperate home-seekers.

The call was made during debate on the Land Commission Bill which seeks to establish a land commission to carry out periodic audits and resolve disputes, among other issues.

During debate on the Bill, legislators said the two-year imprisonment that the Bill imposed on people who transfer title of land without permission from acquiring authority was too lenient.

The Infrastructure and Cities for Economic Development (ICED) organisation also urged central government to act on issues of increased land barons in towns and cities whom they accuse of stalling development.

In an interview last year, ICED expert advisor, Mrs Beth Chitekwe-Biti, said the mushrooming of informal settlements and the rise in land barons in Zimbabwe needed an urgent political solution.

“It is important for the Government to formulate local governance policies, which are progressive and deterrent enough to put an end to the issue of people holding on to land for speculative purposes.

“You will note that in Zimbabwe, there are people who have taken advantage of poor urban planning and they have amassed huge tracts of prime land, which is virtually inaccessible to the poor.

“Some of these people are politically connected and it will take a political decision to solve this matrix,” she said.

The issue of residential land falls under the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and Public Housing.

Speaking on the issue, Local Government, National Housing and Public Works Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said there is need for a tough stance against the inherent indiscipline in the distribution of State land.

“I think there has just been quite a lot of indiscipline that has pervaded in our local authorities and also to a very large extent on state land where the allocation of land was just being done by lower ranking offices on their own. State land which should be managed very carefully was being allocated, (and) distributed without ministerial approval late alone getting the concurrence at the highest level in Government,” he said.

Minister Kasukuwere said since new towns were being developed, there was need to incorporate them into the existing systems so that the infrastructure and service delivery is taken into account.

“It just can’t be one person waking up in the morning and simply saying ‘I’m going to build 10 000 houses on a given piece of land’ without taking into account key ecosystem issues that relate to service delivery and infrastructure which requires water, sewer, power and so forth. We had a stage where land barons were really feeding on desperate people,” he said.

He added that anyone who has State land should prove whether the land they have was paid for.

“Those who have allocated State land and sold it to individuals and pocketed the money have to pay back.”

Minister Kasukuwere said Government was working on measures to flash out corrupt characters involved in the processes.

Shelter is one of the most important basic needs that human beings need to survive and enshrined in the Zimbabwean constitution are property rights. The manner in which land barons have conducted themselves over the years is an abuse of people’s rights and it is imperative for those with the responsibility of governing ensure that the people are not taken advantage of and that their rights are protected.

Statement by His Excellency, The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Comrade R.G. Mugabe at the 27th World Economic Forum on Africa, on the topic, “Eye on Fragile States”, Durban, South Africa, May 4th, 2017

EXCELLENCIES, Heads of State and Government here present, distinguished panellists and delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen.

I would like to extend my profound gratitude and appreciation to the Government and people of South Africa for the generous hospitality accorded to me and my delegation, since our arrival in this beautiful city of Durban.

My delegation would have wished to understand the rationale behind the categorisation of the so-called fragile states, which exercise I understand was done by some NGO, called Fund for Peace.

The NGO developed about 11 categories within which to place countries and nations.

Most African countries are thus classified as “either alert”, “high alert”, or “very high alert”.

Zimbabwe is placed in the high alert category, together with other countries in situations of conflict.

What we find puzzling and objectionable is the philosophy behind such categorisation.

Before 2000, Zimbabwe would most probably have enjoyed a pride of place in the hierarchy of nations. But after we embarked on a radical land reform programme, we quite predictably, became a candidate for profiling.

My country was subsequently slapped with illegal sanctions under which it has laboured for well over a decade-and-a-half now.

We are strongly concerned about this application of unilateral economic sanctions as a foreign policy tool to achieve regime change.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As we all know, the highest challenge for natural stability comes from the baneful legacies of racial inequalities.

In southern Africa, this takes the obvious form of skewed access to land, itself a principal basis for state fragility.

However, attempts to rectify this injustice, draw the anger of our erstwhile colonisers, who do not waste time in drawing up damning reclassifications, such as the so-called “junk status”, as in the case of our host nation, South Africa.

In Zimbabwe, we now have the land, itself the basis of long-term stability.

Under our Command Agriculture Programme, our economy, historically agro-driven, is set for sustained recovery in spite of the debilitating sanctions and ravages of climate change which have made us vulnerable to droughts.

Your Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,

Through its economic blueprint, Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset) launched in 2013, Zimbabwe seeks to provide, simultaneously, an enabling investment climate, a growing economy, employment, social transformation, and empowered society.

Although we have scored some successes in some respects, for example in education, we remain hamstrung in others, such as in reducing unemployment.

We continue to push for the leveraging of our diverse and abundant resources through beneficiation and value-addition of our minerals.

We remain committed to upholding of the fundamental rights and freedoms as defined in our constitution, and as always derive our mandate to govern democratic elections.

Our governance structures are very stable, and security is very much assured.

Your Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,

While it is claimed that the fragile states index is aimed at pointing to potential threats of conflict, we see this as a serious drawback to our efforts to build our economies.

First we have to explain away these characterisations before we can start showcasing the wonderful opportunities such as those that exist in my country.

Besides, this wholesale characterisation, does not seem to appreciate efforts deployed towards resolving conflicts.

Your Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,

Let me assure you that Zimbabwe is a very secure country that is open to investment, at any level of the economy.

We have been putting in place a very vibrant and attractive environment for private sector investment which is hinged on infrastructure development, stabilising the financial sector, modernising labour laws, fighting corruption, and implementing economic zones to provide impetus for foreign direct investment.

In conclusion, let me emphasise that stability, peace and security in the global villages depend upon the availability of the necessary political will to create an environment that promotes that peace and security for all, and one that aims to eradicate poverty from the face of the earth.

I thank you.

Dr Sibanda

Tinashe Makichi and Michael Tome
The China Council for Promotion on International Trade (CCPIT) has struck an agreement with Government which will see one of the council’s companies setting up a multi-million dollar fertiliser manufacturing plant in Zimbabwe.

CCPIT of Zhenjing China comprises of enterprises and organisations operating in the economic and trade sectors in China.

It is the most important and the largest institution responsible for the promotion of foreign trade in China.

Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion Permanent Secretary Dr Desire Sibanda confirmed the development on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe Investment Authority Investor training and induction workshop yesterday.

“Fertiliser is a critical ingredient in our agrarian reform, therefore if we are able to negotiate with fertiliser companies that are able to put up plants here and export, I assure you the economy will grow.

“We have been in several meetings with a Chinese delegation currently in the country and they made their presentation which entails that the setting up of a fertiliser plant to supply the local market and for export,” said Dr Sibanda.

This proposed deal comes at a time when Government has come up with competitive incentives for firms that will operate within the special economic zones.

Dr Sibanda said Government has already identified three special economic zones sites which are Sunway City, Bulawayo Industrial Area and Victoria Falls.

“We will provide the competitive incentives to the subscribers of the special economic zones in terms of facilitation and also in terms of ensuring that they import raw materials needed for their investment duty free,” said Dr Sibanda.

He said Zimbabwe has been lagging behind regional countries like, Zambia, Tanzania, South Africa, Ghana, and Mozambique as they have been offering competitive incentives for investors in their special economic zones.

Dr Sibanda said China which is one of pioneers of special economic zones has applauded Zimbabwe for moving with times by implementing special economic zones.

“The Chinese delegation and the embassy team were satisfied when we talked about Special Economic Zones, saying we were now moving with times,” he said.

Dr Sibanda said Zimbabwe has abundant natural resources and there is need for investors to come with new technology infrastructure and capital and manufacture to add value to available commodities before they are exported.

“Zimbabwe has resources but the problem is getting new technology infrastructure and capital, we want them to come here and manufacture then export, this will improve our balance of trade, “he said.

The CCPIT as a bloc has shown interest in the development of the country’s special economic zones.

Command Agriculture Programme which started this season with maize production has now shifted to winter wheat, with hundreds of farmers registering to grow the irrigated crop.

Farmers who are voluntarily taking up wheat production will be provided with all the inputs as was the case with maize.

Upon harvesting, farmers will be expected to deliver an agreed tonnage to the Grain Marketing Board as repayment for the free loan, advanced to them in the form of inputs, such as wheat seed, fertilisers, chemicals and tillage services.

Many farmers with irrigation infrastructure have in the past failed to grow wheat because of lack of financial resources to buy the inputs, a gap that Government has bridged through Command Agriculture and specifically command winter wheat production.

It is our hope that Government avails the inputs in time so that farmers do not miss the wheat planting deadlines, as doing so would impact negatively on yield.

The major headache facing farmers is that of electricity supply. Winter wheat is an irrigated crop and there is need for uninterrupted supply of power to farmers. A lot of water is required to germinate the crop and this is a critical period to ensure power supply is not interrupted.

We, therefore, appeal to the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) to spare the farmers from load shedding and to religiously attend to faults. In its early stages, wheat requires long hours of irrigation and it would not be in the best interests of the farmers and the nation to cut off electricity. An assurance from Zesa on power supply would obviously motivate more farmers to take up wheat production.

Some farmers with full irrigation are reluctant to grow wheat because of problems associated with electricity supplies encountered in previous seasons. A promise from the power utility would obviously make such farmers change their mind and embrace winter wheat farming. While yield per hectare matters the most in production, we also believe that there is strength in numbers and so the more farmers on the programme, the better.

While the Government continues to make great strides in turning around agriculture, we are failing to locate the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) in all this. We remain convinced that Arda should be anchoring national food security given the vast tracts of land that it boasts across the country.

At one time Arda had 68 estates throughout the country, and while we are not sure about the number today, we believe matters to do with food security are national security issues and so a parastatal of that magnitude should seriously be seized with the matter more than anything else.

There are reports that Arda now has a substantive general manager and we believe part of his/her immediate mandate is to make Arda regain its strategic position in food security matters. Whatever comes from individual farmers should always be a bonus as Arda should take the lead in ensuring national food self-sufficiency.

Our wheat production has plummeted to disappointing levels as farmers struggle to get finance. We hope that the sector can rebound, thanks to Command Agriculture. We require at least 400 000 tonnes of wheat annually.

Command winter wheat is targeted at producing 200 000 tonnes, a very modest target by any measure. We should be able to meet the national requirement, and Arda should be at the forefront.

President Mugabe shares a lighter moment with his South African counterpart President Jacob Zuma on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on Africa in Durban, South Africa, yesterday. — (Picture by Manfred Takaendesa)

Darlington Musarurwa in Durban, South Africa—
President Mugabe yesterday met his South African counterpart President Jacob Zuma for bilateral talks on the sidelines of the 27th edition of the World Economic Forum on Africa, which ends here today. Speaking to journalists after paying a courtesy call on the President, the South African President — who was accompanied by his International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane – said the two leaders had a “ very good”, “friendly” and “brotherly” discussion.

“We discussed the issue of the situation in the country, the success of the World Economic Forum now and also about the need for us to meet more often, particularly the former liberation movements, so it was very good, friendly and brotherly discussion, absolutely,” said President Zuma.

Former liberation movements in the region used to meet under the banner of the Former Liberation Movements of Southern Africa (FLMSA).

Zanu-PF, the African National Congress (South Africa), Chama Cha Mapinduzi (Tanzania), Frelimo (Mozambique), MPLA (Angola), Swapo (Namibia) are constituent members of the grouping.

Ex-liberation movements often meet to discuss the strategies of fostering economic independence in the region, including building a buffer against neo-colonial forces.

Commenting on his views about Zimbabwe’s profiling as a fragile State, President Zuma indicated that he agreed with President Mugabe’s stance that Zimbabwe was being mischaracterised.

“Well, I think the President answered that very well in the discussion because he indicated and said it is the view of others to call it fragile, but as far as he is concerned, he described how Zimbabwe is, and I agree with the President,” he said.

President Mugabe talks to his deputies Vice Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko at Harare International Airport today. Picture by John Manzongo

Darlington Musarurwa recently in DURBAN, South Africa

President Mugabe arrived back home today from the World Economic Forum on Africa, which ended today in South Africa.

He was met at Harare International Airport by Vice Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, Government Ministers, service chiefs and senior civil servants.

President Mugabe addressed the forum on Thursday and made a case against the characterisation of Zimbabwe as a fragile state.