Poster supporting President Mugabe of Zimbabwe outside the EU-Africa Summit in Lisbon on December 9, 2007. Mugabe blasted the "gang of four" European leaders for being agents of British imperialism.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
Herald Reporters
Zimbabwe is ready to engage those countries that have been hostile to it, President Mugabe said yesterday.
Officially opening the Second Session of the Seventh Parliament in Harare, President Mugabe said Zimbabwe would continue to engage the Western community with a view to normalising relations.
"Our country remains in a positive stance to enter into fresh, friendly and co-operative relations with all those countries that have been hostile to us in the past," he said.
He, however, stressed that engagement must ultimately lead to the speedy removal of the economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the West for embarking on the revolutionary land reform programme.
"We will also continue to engage our international partners on a bilateral level through Joint Commissions of Co-operation and other treaties, in order to drum up support for our economic recovery programme.
"Following the launch of the Zimbabwe-European Union dialogue in Brussels early this year, our re-engagement with the European bloc is gathering momentum.
"However, as our inclusive Government re-engages the Western countries, we expect those countries that have imposed illegal sanctions which have hurt and continue to hurt our economy and the generality of the people to remove them."
President Mugabe urged Zimbabweans to unite for economic turnaround, saying national development was a collective responsibility.
"If the realisation of the fruits of our economic turnaround effort may seem to take longer than expected, it is because the parameters for it have been more demanding in both form and content than expected.
"Together, let us build the bridges of amity, forgiveness, trust and togetherness.
"Let us be the Zimbabwe united in body, mind and spirit. Only that way can we really succeed," the President said.
The new session, President Mugabe said, was historic in that it was the first since the formation of the inclusive Government by Zanu-PF, MDC-T and MDC.
He said in keeping with the Global Political Agreement, the crafting of a new constitution was on course.
To expedite the work, the three principals — President Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy PM Mutambara — agreed to include the six negotiators to the GPA in the constitutional management committee.
The process of establishing the Zimbabwe Media Commission, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission was progressing well and conclusion was imminent, he said.
"A Bill to regulate matters incidental to the establishment of a Human Rights Commission will be introduced in this august House during this session," he said.
The Government was deeply concerned by the plight of civil servants.
"The preferred situation is one where the salaries and allowances of public servants are benchmarked against the Poverty Datum Line.
"This will be undertaken as soon as resources become available. I, therefore, appeal to public servants to remain patient as the necessary arrangements are being put in place."
He said work had already started on a Medium-Term Plan to succeed the Short-Term Emergency Recovery Programme, as well as the Three-Year Macro-Economic Framework to cover the period 2010 to 2012.
"The two programmes which are succeeding STERP are expected to usher in the transition from the economic stabilisation mode to a growth and development one," he said.
The session, he said, would debate the Public Finance Management Bill while the Audit Office Bill would be tabled to replace the Audit and Exchequer Act.
The Bill will provide for the establishment of an independent National Audit Office and an Audit Office Commission.
Amendments to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Act to enhance the effectiveness of the central bank will also be tabled.
"With the summer cropping season now upon us, efforts are afoot to ensure utmost preparedness in terms of inputs and tillage service provision," he said.
President Mugabe said the diamond industry continued to court the attention of investors.
"So far, two serious investors have been selected. The engagement of the investors will help bring progress to Chiadzwa, where measures to ensure the orderly relocation of the local families to pave way for full-scale commercial mining, are already underway," he said.
The State was pursuing the rehabilitation of Hwange Power Station and the resuscitation of smaller stations to address power shorta- ges.
President Mugabe left for Geneva, Switzerland, last night to attend the International Telecommunications Union World Summit.
He was accompanied by the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Transport and Communications Minister Nicholas Goche and other senior Government officials.
VP nominations: Provinces disagree
Herald Reporter
Confusion surrounds the implementation of a directive by Zanu-PF’s Politburo that the three Matabeleland provinces nominate a person to fill the post of Vice President and Second Secretary which fell vacant following the death of fearless founding nationalist, Cde Joseph Msika.
The Politburo gave Matabeleland North and South, and Bulawayo 14 days within which to come up with their preferred nominee for State Vice President, but it seems the three provinces are disagreeing on how to proceed.
The deadline expires in seven days’ time on October 14.
In an interview yesterday, Matabeleland North provincial chairperson Cde Zenzo Ncube said he only learnt about the Politburo decision in the Press on Monday after Bulawayo Province nominated Zanu-PF national chairman Cde John Nkomo for the post.
"As a province, we were not informed and we only read about it in the newspaper.
"Our province is a rural one covering areas like Binga, Bubi, Nkayi, Hwange, up to Victoria Falls.
"We have to run around informing the people about it. I doubt if we will be able to beat the October 14 deadline. We want things to go procedurally," Cde Ncube said.
Matabeleland South chairman Cde Andrew Langa said they were yet to meet as a province to agree on a nominee.
He indicated that no date for such a meeting had been set and declined to say which way the province was likely to go.
"As a person, I may support a position taken by Bulawayo Province, but we are yet to meet as a province," he added.
Cde Langa said there were a number of people from the province who were interested in filling the post left vacant by Cde Msika’s death in August.
Bulawayo provincial chairman Cde Isaac Dakamela appeared to indicate the decision on Cde Nkomo’s candidature was not unanimous, saying wider consultations with the other Matabeleland provinces should have been carried out first.
Cde Dakamela said Matabeleland should have a consensus on the choice of the next Vice President.
"We had not yet met other provinces, but Cde Sikhanyiso Ndlovu will meet Matabeleland North and South so that we have consensus."
Sources yesterday said the Politburo’s intention was for the three provinces to come up with a single name that they all agreed on rather than for them to each forward their preferred candidates for consideration.
Yesterday, Zanu-PF secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa said it was now up to the concerned provinces to decide how they wanted to proceed.
A source from Matabeleland North told The Herald yesterday: "No one is clear on what exactly is happening and there is a danger that some people might manipulate the process for their own benefit and not for the good of the party or the nation.
"The provincial co-ordinating committees should sit down so that we avoid situations where a few people make announcements on behalf of the rest of the province," he said.
He added that there was a danger that the region would forward three different names to the Politburo and this would not augur well for the party.
Zanu-PF’s Politburo, which is the highest decision-making body in the party outside of national congress, met last week and gave the Matabeleland provinces two weeks to come up with potential candidates.
On Sunday, Bulawayo Province endorsed Cde Nkomo at a meeting attended by Cde Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, Cde Absolom Sikhosana, Cde Angeline Masuku and Cde Joshua Malinga.
The province said it chose Cde Nkomo to take over the Vice Presidency because he had a national outlook as the former Zapu was not a party for the people of Matabeleland region alone.
Zanu-PF will convene its national congress in December this year to elect a leadership — including a new party vice president and second secretary — to steer it for the next five years.
Inclusivity marks Parly opening
Herald Reporters
THE inclusive Government was on show when Parliament opened yesterday.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC-T president sat on the Government side, while VP Mujuru sat chatting with Speaker of the House of Assembly Mr Lovemore Moyo, who is also MDC-T national chairman.
Outside Parliament, fist-pumping Zanu-PF supporters and palm-waving MDC supporters stood side-by-side to witness the historic opening of the Second Session of the Seventh Parliament of Zimbabwe.
During lunch afterwards, President Mugabe lauded legislators from both MDC formations in a humorous off-the-cuff speech for graduating from being "dishonourable legislators" following the conclusion of the proceedings without incident.
Guests to the luncheon hosted by the Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development were left in stitches when the President said last year’s behaviour by the legislators showed their immaturity.
"There was discipline in Parliament. Last year MPs were still raw, they are polished now, they are dignified and they can be called honourable. Last year they were dishonourable," President Mugabe said to the laughter of the guests.
Last year, the opening of the First Session of Parliament was interrupted by rowdy MDC-T MPs who continuously interjected while President Mugabe was reading his speech.
The President, who always makes humorous remarks in his off-the-cuff speech, had earlier made fun of the speech he presented in the August House, saying he had been "forced" to read it.
"The one (speech) I made in Parliament was not my speech. I was forced to make the speech, but I don’t know how many ministers we have and thoughts they have on development. A bit of what they gave us found room in that speech. I was reading other people’s views, but now I have the opportunity to be myself," he said.
While speaking on the inclusive Government, President Mugabe said those who were not part of the arrangement should not blame anyone because voters had excluded them.
"As I said, the inclusive Government is also exclusive. There are those who are complaining that they were left out, but there is no way we could have that abundant mercy, hameno ana Baba Mukonori nana Reverend Damasane. Politics haina yekuti those who have lost could be made winners. Ana Mavambo vakaruza, it’s the people who excluded them by virtue of not voting for them," said President Mugabe.
Father Fidelis Mukonori and Reverend Damasane were the two clergymen who officiated at the luncheon.
Proceedings for the opening started at State House, where President Mugabe dressed in his ceremonial regalia and accompanied by the First Lady, Amai Grace Mugabe, had a photo session.
The President later inspected a guard of honour mounted by the Zimbabwe Republic Police Mounted Unit.
The procession from State House to Parliament began with the President and First Lady travelling in a vintage Rolls-Royce, accompanied by the mounted police unit travelled along Josiah Tongogara Avenue, before turning into Sam Nujoma Street.
People lined up the streets to behold the spectacle, a tradition that has become Zimbabwe’s major event of the legislative year.
President Mugabe’s entourage arrived at Parliament Building with chants of "Gushungo, Gushungo," reverberating from the excited crowd honouring one of Africa’s founding statesmen.
The Zimbabwe National Army Signals Band led the singing of the national anthem, which was accompanied by a flypast by Air Force of Zimbabwe K-8 jets in diamond formation and a 21-gun salute.
The Head of State and Government, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, later inspected a guard of honour mounted by the Presidential Guard made up of seven officers and 107 other ranks.
In the House of Assembly, Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausku led High Court and Supreme Court judges into the chamber, followed by a procession of legislators led by the Speaker of the House of Assembly.
The House was full to capacity and most legislators could be seen standing after failing to secure seats.
In the House, proceedings started with the Clerk of Parliament, Mr Austin Zvoma, reading the proclamation by President Mugabe summoning Parliament to convene.
Business was temporarily suspended for 15 minutes before President Mugabe walked in, accompanied by service chiefs.
The national anthem was played before President Mugabe read his speech.
Women legislators from all the political divide ululated when President Mugabe said Parliament will ratify the Sadc Protocol on Gender and Development, which seeks to promote and protect the rights of women.
After the President’s speech, the House of Assembly and Senate sat and a motion in support of the speech of the Head of State was moved in the two Houses.
In the House of Assembly, Goromonzi MP Cde Beata Nyamupinga while in Senate, Makoni Senator Stanley Sakupwanya both of them from Zanu-PF, moved a motion giving notice that a respectful address be given to the President on the address he had delivered giving a roadmap to the coming session.
Both Houses adjourned to October 20, 2009.
What change is MDC-T talking about?
Campion Mereki
EDITOR — Addressing belated anniversary rallies for his party, MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai told his supporters that he was happy that people now realise that it is the MDC that can bring ‘‘real change’’.
What change was Tsvangirai talking about? Was he talking about the US$200million that was pledged during his trip to Europe and the US?
Is the ‘‘real change’’ he was talking about, about taking Zimbabwe to the Rhodesians on a platter is as being advocated by the likes of Eddie Cross, a very cross white man who has not made his disdain for independent Zimbabwe a secret?
That kind of change is not only dangerous but will not be stomached in a country that came through the barrel of the gun at a cost of over 50 000 precious lives.
All Zimbabweans should not forget what Paul said to the Corinthians that food is for the stomach and the stomach for food, all shall be destroyed on the day of the Lord. Why does the MDC-T leadership harp about food, and not the land from which the food comes?
We should open our eyes and see the reality of this regime change agenda to preserve our revolutionary legacy from the depredations of reactionaries.
Campion Mereki.
Harare.
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