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MDC squanders golden opportunity The Movement for Democratic Change's obsession with scoring points against the ruling ZANU-PF could have cost it a unique opportunity when it poured all its resources into local government elections instead of exploiting the cash crisis which was the burning issue for its core urban constituency at the time. The elections were described by one international journalist as nothing more than "village elections".Full story
ZCTU fails to capitalise on cash shortage The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, like its ally the Movement for Democratic Change, squandered a unique opportunity to bring the government down to its knees when it failed to capitalise on the cash shortage which had bedeviled its main constituency, the workers, for more than four months. Instead, sources, say the ZCTU, put everything on hold to help the MDC in its campaign for the local government elections as well as the two parliamentary by-elections. The MDC won the elections beating the ruling ZANU-PF in the local government elections and shared a seat each with ZANU-PF in the parliamentary by-elections. Full story
Muzenda leaves a yawning gap It was a simple remark. But it was loaded with meaning. Holding the hand of his remaining top lieutenant Joseph Msika, President Robert Mugabe told mourners at former vice-President Simon Muzenda's funeral wake that he had lost his right hand man. Full story
Corruption worsens Zimbabwe's image has plummeted as it economies woes worsened. The country is increasingly being viewed as corrupt as its economy deteriorates and nationals flee the country to look for greener pastures. Sitting at a comfortable 43 out of 85 when it was first included in Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index in 1998, the country now sits at 106 out of 133 countries surveyed. Full story
Mugabe - 'Biblical beast of anarchy' Members of Zimbabwe's major churches have denounced President Robert Mugabe's government as the biblical "beast of anarchy" and vowed to mount a campaign to force the government to restore democracy and end its "oppressive" rule. A statement by 109 pastors, priests and laymen from 59 churches condemned the government for political violence, the breakdown of the rule of law, suppression of the opposition and the erosion of democracy. Full story
Keeping the hounds away The ruling ZANU-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have been talking for some time, and continue to talk, but the two parties are being forced to issue, at times, conflicting statements to keep the hounds away. Sources say while there appears to be worldwide interest in the talks not everyone is interested in a peaceful solution of the present crisis in Zimbabwe, especially one that does not entail the removal of President Robert Mugabe from office.Full story
US asked to keep its promise on AIDS One of the most respected newspapers in the United States, the New York Times, has called on the Bush administration to fulfill its promise to help Africa fight the AIDS menace. If it doesn't, the paper says, then the administration would have used President George Bush's much-publicised African safari "as nothing more than a photo opportunity".Full Story
Solidarity Trust questions legality of national service A new organisation made up of Zimbabwean and South African church leaders, the Solidarity Peace Trust, has questioned the legality of national service introduced by the government two years. It says apart from the scanty budgetary mentions in 2001 and 2002, the issue of whether national youth service should be introduced has never been formally debated in parliament. Full Story
AIDS figures revised Zimbabwe has revised its HIV/AIDS figures downwards from an estimated 2.3 million to 1.82 million, reducing prevalence from 33.7 percent to 24.9 percent. Full Story
Zimbabwe's central bank clutching at straws The message on bank notes is clear and simple. "I promise to pay the bearer on demand (amount) for the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe," it says. But no one is paying any attention to that. As far as people are concerned, once they have worked for their money, it is theirs, and no one, including the central bank, can tell them what to do with their money.Full story

News

MDC squanders golden opportunity

The Movement for Democratic Change's obsession with scoring points against the ruling ZANU-PF could have cost it a unique opportunity when it poured all its resources into local government elections instead of exploiting the cash crisis which was the burning issue for its core urban constituency at the time. The elections were described by one international journalist as nothing more than "village elections".Full story

ZCTU fails to capitalise on cash shortage

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, like its ally the Movement for Democratic Change, squandered a unique opportunity to bring the government down to its knees when it failed to capitalise on the cash shortage which had bedeviled its main constituency, the workers, for more than four months. Instead, sources, say the ZCTU, put everything on hold to help the MDC in its campaign for the local government elections as well as the two parliamentary by-elections. The MDC won the elections beating the ruling ZANU-PF in the local government elections and shared a seat each with ZANU-PF in the parliamentary by-elections. Full story

Muzenda leaves a yawning gap

It was a simple remark. But it was loaded with meaning. Holding the hand of his remaining top lieutenant Joseph Msika, President Robert Mugabe told mourners at former vice-President Simon Muzenda's funeral wake that he had lost his right hand man. Full story

Corruption worsens

Zimbabwe's image has plummeted as it economies woes worsened. The country is increasingly being viewed as corrupt as its economy deteriorates and nationals flee the country to look for greener pastures. Sitting at a comfortable 43 out of 85 when it was first included in Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index in 1998, the country now sits at 106 out of 133 countries surveyed. Full story

Mugabe - 'Biblical beast of anarchy'

Members of Zimbabwe's major churches have denounced President Robert Mugabe's government as the biblical "beast of anarchy" and vowed to mount a campaign to force the government to restore democracy and end its "oppressive" rule. A statement by 109 pastors, priests and laymen from 59 churches condemned the government for political violence, the breakdown of the rule of law, suppression of the opposition and the erosion of democracy. Full story

Keeping the hounds away

The ruling ZANU-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have been talking for some time, and continue to talk, but the two parties are being forced to issue, at times, conflicting statements to keep the hounds away. Sources say while there appears to be worldwide interest in the talks not everyone is interested in a peaceful solution of the present crisis in Zimbabwe, especially one that does not entail the removal of President Robert Mugabe from office.Full story

US asked to keep its promise on AIDS

One of the most respected newspapers in the United States, the New York Times, has called on the Bush administration to fulfill its promise to help Africa fight the AIDS menace. If it doesn't, the paper says, then the administration would have used President George Bush's much-publicised African safari "as nothing more than a photo opportunity".Full Story

Solidarity Trust questions legality of national service

A new organisation made up of Zimbabwean and South African church leaders, the Solidarity Peace Trust, has questioned the legality of national service introduced by the government two years. It says apart from the scanty budgetary mentions in 2001 and 2002, the issue of whether national youth service should be introduced has never been formally debated in parliament. Full Story

AIDS figures revised

Zimbabwe has revised its HIV/AIDS figures downwards from an estimated 2.3 million to 1.82 million, reducing prevalence from 33.7 percent to 24.9 percent. Full Story

Zimbabwe's central bank clutching at straws

The message on bank notes is clear and simple. "I promise to pay the bearer on demand (amount) for the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe," it says. But no one is paying any attention to that. As far as people are concerned, once they have worked for their money, it is theirs, and no one, including the central bank, can tell them what to do with their money.Full story