Mugabe looking in the right direction

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe may have been desperate when he adopted his "Look East" policy but he was definitely looking in the right direction. China is now the second largest economy in the world and is gunning for the top spot. India too is fast catching up and with Brazil and Russia; they constitute a formidable economic block, now referred to as BRIC, that is challenging the West. Full story

Zimbabwe can power itself

The government should prioritise the provision of electricity because power can drive agriculture, industry and mining to propel the country's economic recovery and it can do this with its own resources. Full story

Lies, damned lies and statistics

One of the country's leading asset management companies says the government and the International Monetary Fund, which say the country's gross domestic product is $5 billion, have got it all wrong. Both are downplaying the country's net worth. Full story

The World Cup and bhora ravanhu

The World Cup is over. Now it is now going to be bhora ravavhu- the kicking out of foreigners, at least that is what some South Africans have threatened. The threat of xenophobia has been lingering for months before the World Cup with locals vowing to deal with foreigners once the premier event was over. South African authorities have promised to protect foreigners but some started leaving the country just after the quarter finals. They said it was better for them to watch the situation from afar rather than rely on promises by the authorities because they did not want to go through the experience they went through two years ago. Full story

Tsvangirai asserts himself

Last week’s cabinet reshuffle was aimed more at asserting Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s power than getting rid of incompetent ministers, but it was still a bold move by the Movement for Democratic Change leader. Full story

Why the West won’t forgive Mugabe

The refusal by the Friends of Zimbabwe to lift sanctions on the country and give it more than humanitarian aid and the subsequent refusal by the Kimberley Process to allow it to sell its diamonds legally are clear indications that despite all the pretence these are not issues of democracy, good governance or human rights. Zimbabwe is simply being punished. The aim is to whip its octogenarian leader Robert Mugabe, and anyone else who thinks like him, back into line. Full story

Comments

Hard to believe that a such a totally stupid piece could be written by an educated person. Had to justify your new farm did you. Racist. Bigot. Idiot. Soon all ZANU PF will have to answer for their bigotry and racism. We'll all be there laughing as you pay for your sins. - Var Fletcher

You are now hitting the nail on the head. Continue hitting it hard so that it sinks into the wooden heads of African politicians and their western enslavers. Most likely they will sink together under the weight of the dispossessed of the earth. A frightening prospect for the infinitely paranoid West. Enemies everywhere they look and not a friend in sight.- TH Mudzingwa

Who really wants elections in Zimbabwe?

Who really wants elections in Zimbabwe? This is a question no one has ever asked despite the persistent calls that the country should have elections to solve the current “impasse” between the three parties in the inclusive government. One thing is clear. It is definitely not the average Zimbabwean, who plays a crucial role in any election as the voter, that is calling for elections. It is definitely not any of the three parties that are in the inclusive government that is calling for these elections. It is outsiders, who are somehow, under the impression that the elections will produce an outright winner who can then take over the government. And one gets the impression that they think they know which winner this is going to be. Full story

Tsvangirai snubbed

The Friends of Zimbabwe group has totally ignored Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's appeal to reward his government for the progress it has made so far in transforming Zimbabwe politically and economically. They stuck to their position that they can only help the country once the outstanding issues in the Global Political Agreement had been resolved. Full story

Mugabe, Tsvangirai agree on indigenisation

President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai are now agreed on indigenisation. It is not about expropriation or nationalisation. It is about empowering locals. The two are agreed on the issue that almost derailed the country's economic recovery as a matter of principle as was clearly demonstrated last week when they concurred on the issue at different venues and on different dates. Full story

Tsvangirai says West should reward Zimbabwe for progress made so far

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai says the international community should lift sanctions on Zimbabwe so that the country can embark on its economic recovery programme. They should not continue to hold the country to ransom because of one man, President Robert Mugabe. Full story

Sibanda dies

Former Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions president and founding member of the Movement for Democratic Change Gibson Sibanda died today. Sibanda was deputy president of the Mutambara faction of the MDC. -24 August 2010

Inflation down

Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate in July stood at 4.1%, declining from 5.3% the month before, the government statistics agency said today. Food inflation eased from 7.39% in June to 7.11% last month. Non-food inflation fell from 4.42% to 2.9%. -23 August 2010

Cold feet

The Zimbabwe Football Association which has been rocked by a match-fixing scandal is having second thoughts on hiring Zoran Djordjevic as Warriors coach because the Serbian once worked in Asia. Djordjevic was coach of Bangladesh. -22 August 2010

Charamba to keep his job

Zimbabwe's three ruling parties have agreed to retain George Charamba as President Robert Mugabe's spokesman and permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information, reports said today. MDC-T secretary general Tendai Biti said the parties had agreed to retain Charamba in his jobs as part of a compromise deal meant to move the political transition process forward. - 21 August 2010

No compromise

President Robert Mugabe today said his party would not make any further concessions with his partners in a unity government until western sanctions are removed. He told the party's central committee: "They have to get those sanctions off if they want any concessions from us. There are no more concessions. We will never ever move." -20 August 2010

Sanctions retarding Zim progress

South African deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe today said smart sanctions against Zimbabwe's political leaders were "retarding" progress in the country. "The government's view is that the problems of Zimbabwe cannot be solely attributed to the tastes of ministers in Zimbabwe, but that the smart sanctions affect the free flow of capital and goods into Zimbabwe," Motlanthe told parliament. "This is why SADC and the AU have called on the European Union, the government of the United Kingdom and the government of the United States to reconsider the position on these smart sanctions." -19 August 2010

One month

Movement for Democratic Change Secretary-General Tendai Biti today said that three outstanding issues from the global political agreement with ZANU-PF two years ago will be implemented within a month. He said the outstanding issues were the appointments of central bank governor Gideon Gono, attorney-general Johannes Tomana and the swearing in of Roy Bennett as deputy minister of agriculture. Chief negotiator South African President Jacob Zuma did not disclose the outstanding issue at this week's SADC meeting in Namibia. -18 August 2010

Rushwaya charged

Zimbabwe Football Association chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya was suspended today over match-fixing linked to Asian betting syndicates. The disciplinary hearing was postponed to September 1 to allow her lawyers to study the allegations. Rushwaya denies wrong doing. - 17 August 2010

Progress

South African President Jacob Zuma today told SADC leaders that Zimbabwe's main political parties had agreed on 24 of the 27 issues in the Global Political Agreement. He, however, did not disclose the three outstanding issues. -16 August 2010

30 Days

The SADC Troika on Defence, Security and Politics today said that all outstanding issues in the Global Political Agreement should be fully implemented within a month. The Troika met on the eve of a SADC summit that begins in the Namibian capital Windhoek tomorrow. -15 August 2010

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