Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and First Lady Madame Grace at a ZANU-PF rally. The President will stand for reelection on March 29.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
By Itai Musengeyi
DIRECTOR-GENERAL of the Central Intelligence Organisation Retired Major-General Happyton Bonyongwe has distanced himself from Simba Makoni’s political project saying media reports linking him to the group were bent on causing confusion in Government.
The Herald bumped into Rtd Maj-Gen Bonyongwe in Harare yesterday and asked him to comment on the reports that he was linked to Makoni’s presidential bid.
He said the reports — being splashed by online news agencies — were the opposition and its Western handlers’ strategy of causing confusion within Government and Zanu-PF as part of their regime change agenda.
"It is uncharacteristic that I answer you because the CIO does not talk to the Press. However, be that as it may, I think clarity is a virtue and the organisation prides itself in that. I think it is important for me to put the record straight.
"My understanding of the opposition and its masters’ strategy has been to cause confusion within the Government and Zanu-PF by creating rumours and spreading them. When people start dropping names, this feeds into their strategy of rumour-mongering.
"On my part really, I have no association whatsoever with the Makoni group and everything being said is rubbish," Rtd Maj-Gen Bonyongwe said.
One of the news agencies, ZimOnline yesterday claimed that Rtd Maj-Gen Bonyongwe has links with Makoni’s bid to oust President Mugabe.
The agency claimed this was the first signal that divisions in the ruling Zanu-PF party might be filtering down to the intelligence service.
Quoting unnamed authoritative sources, ZimOnline claimed the CIO was in the grip of a power struggle between Rtd Maj-Gen Bonyongwe and his deputy Mr Maynard Muzariri.
But the CIO boss said he wondered if the Makoni group had supporters and was convinced it was going around creating perceptions that "so and so supports us".
Makoni has been claiming that some senior people in Government and Zanu-PF support him without naming them.
"In my case and as far as the service (CIO) is concerned, we are a professional service. I was appointed by H.E. President Mugabe. I am serving the President and through him my country.
"I serve one master and the master is the President. The fact that there is no faction which can claim ownership of me means I am doing my job impartially.
"This country has been subjected to a torrent of attacks since 1999 (when Government began steps to institute land reforms) and the service has stood up very well in a united manner.
"We are professional and principled and we will not abandon our task to protect the security of Zimbabwe, national interest and our leader, the President. Basically that is the CIO."
Makoni’s handlers have been claiming that they have backers in Zanu-PF and appeared to have been taking advantage of the silence of those said to be backing it.
On Wednesday, President Mugabe told journalists that one of the people said to be backing Makoni, Zanu-PF Politburo member and former army commander Retired General Solomon Mujuru met him on Monday and told him that he was not in any way associated with the Makoni project.
On Monday, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Cde Patrick Chinamasa also denied links with the Makoni group after Dumiso Dabengwa had claimed he was involved in the project.
Shame opposition leaders, vote Zanu-PF: President
Herald Reporter
PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday said Zanu-PF supporters should shame Simba Makoni and MDC faction leader Morgan Tsvangirai by voting en masse for Zanu-PF to send a clear message to the British that Zanu-PF was the mother of Zimbabwe.
Speaking at a star rally at Kamu-tsenzere GMB Silos in Mt Darwin, Cde Mugabe said voters should undress the opposition, particularly Makoni, on March 29.
‘‘Munhu unobva kumusangano, washarwa nemusangano. Ndozviri-po, zvinoitika kana munhu wapanduka, unoshaya zano, unoita sekunge mupengo.
"Uyu avakuita semunhu anopenga, unongoona ari oga, achifamba zvake oga uko. Zvino chasara ndechekuti muchamuona avabunumunu, asisina hanzu, akumura asisina hanzu, moti ho-o ndokwazvanga zvichinanga uko, munhu uya ah zvazomubata chose. Zvino musiyeyi asina hanzu, musi wa29, timunyadzise.’’
The President said genuine leaders are elected by the people, they do not just come from nowhere and try to force themselves on the people.
‘‘Ini ndiri pano, sekusarudza kwamakandiita, ndinoti tiri tose. Ini nemi tirivamwe chete. Kwamuri ndiko kwandinoti kumusha, ndiko kwandazvarwa . . . handina kutanga ndamira paruvanze, kana pagomo, pamakomo ano eMavhuradonha ndichishevedzera kuti ‘murikundinzwa here? Ndini Mugabe ndauya, nditeverei!’ Sezvinoita Makoni. Ndozvaari kuitaka, kumira paruvanze.
"Haana hanzu yaakapfeka inoratidza kuti ndewe musangano upi, hapana vaanoti ndochikwata changu ichi, cheCentral Committee yangu, even vekumbobata basa, hapana. ‘Ndinongova Makoni ndoga, ndamira pagomo reMavhuradonha, muriku-ndinzwa here kuMt Darwin uko, murikundinzwa here uko kuMash Central. Ini Makoni ndidei, ndirikukuvhevhai, munotondida chete muchida musingade.’ Ah, uri ani, wakabata chii? ‘Ah ndakabata ini Makoni, mutumbi wangu chete.’
‘‘Uri ani? ‘Simba Makoni.’ Party yako? ‘Simba Makoni’.’’
President Mugabe was unanimously endorsed as the Zanu-PF candidate at an Extraordinary Congress in December, and independent presidential candidate, Simba Makoni — who latter claimed his bid was blocked — never raised a finger to express his interest even though he was there at the City Sports Centre where the Congress was held.
He emerged, eight weeks later, claiming he wanted to stand on a Zanu-PF ticket without the endorsement of the ruling party, and was promptly booted out of Zanu-PF.
Makoni has since attracted the interest of the British, and some South African companies run by ex-Rhodies who are organising fund-raising luncheons and campaigns to bankroll his bid.
Cde Mugabe also took a swipe at Tsvangirai, whom he described as a medium of white spirits.
‘‘Kune vamwe vakaita sana-Tsvangirai vava masvikiro avaru-ngu.’’
He said Tsvangirai had grown big-headed after leading workers at Trojan Nickel Mine and then the ZCTU.
He had the crowd in stitches when he took a swipe at British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, whom he said had shown amazing stupidity and naivety by publishing even things that were supposed to be clandestine.
‘‘Taifunga akuti uyu auya Brown uyu, achauya nerimwe gwara but he is even more stupid than Blair. Blair kakatenge kaidzvanhuka, kachidzvanhuka. Zvino uyu anobva angoti yatya, ‘hatimbofa takati, hatiti.’ Zvimwe zvacho tinogara tazviziva, ‘tirikutumira mari yakati’, hanzi tirikutumira mari yekuti ipihwe kuopposition, ye regime change. mari inopfuura £3,3 million, zvinongotaurwa, zvichinyorwa futi.
Zvino haazive kuti zvimwe hazvinyorwe, zvinotaurwa, saka, but, well perhaps we benefit from that stupidity,’’ Cde Mugabe said to laughter from the crowd.
Brown wrote to the British Law Society recently informing them that he had increased funding for opposition activities in Zimbabwe from £2,5 million to £3,3 million. The funds are to be used to compile reports tarnishing Zimbabwe’s human rights situation, democratic record and the election environment, among other things.
Cde Mugabe castigated the British for imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe, which sanctions are hurting even their own interests here as more than 400 British companies operate in Zimbabwe in fields as diverse as mining and manufacturing.
He chronicled the saga surrounding the British fighter jets --- Hawks --- that were being used by the Airforce of Zimbabwe, saying the planes had to be grounded after the British refused to supply spare parts.
‘‘Toti iye zvino tinoda maspare parts, hanzi hatikupei. Ho-o, zvindege zvenyu izvi pasi, tavakunotora ndege kuChina. Saka imi maruza nekuti tanga tichikutengeraika, ndege idzodzo. Foolish British people, very foolish . . . Anyway isu hatichada kunzwanana navo, they are a terrible people, absolutely stupid,’’ Cde Mugabe thundered to cheers from the crowd.
He said it was incumbent on every Zanu-PF supporter to come out with a vengeance on March 29 to endorse Zanu-PF so that it can continue with its empowerment programmes.
‘‘Kwotoenda uku, musi wa29 tinezenge tichifuma tichienda kunovhota. Kwavakuda kuti tigadzirire ka, tigadzirire kuti tive nevhoti ichabuda ikoko. Vhoti inoratidza kuti tiri veChimurenga, vhoti inoratidza kuti chokwadi zvatakarwira nyika iyi, hatina kuirwira kuti igozodzokera mumaoko emaBritish zvakare, takarwira kuti yauya mumaoko edu, haichafa yakaenda kumaBritish, hatichafa takapfundunura maoko edu kuiregera ichitorwa zvakare.’’
The President said after March 29, Zanu-PF would set up a Government that pursues measurable deliverables and each ministry would have to account on why it would have failed to meet set targets.
He said the Government wanted to continue empowering the people, and had started with distributing land, moved on to empowering the newly resettled farmers, and communal farmers with implements to use to increase productivity, and would now vigorously pursue the issue of irrigation so that the agricultural sector can become a money spinner that would solve the foreign currency crunch.
To this end, he said, Government would engage its partners in the East to bankroll the construction of dams, even if it meant using some of the mines as collateral for loans.
He said plans were underway to find suitable sites for the construction of more hydro-electric power stations on the major rivers, and an agreement had been struck with a Russia firm for that venture.
He said Government would also seriously pursue the issue of harnessing solar energy, using the expertise and experience of India, which had excelled in using solar energy; in addition to increasing the capacity of thermal power stations to generate electricity.
Once solutions were found around the power crunch, the Rural Electrification Programme would see the power reaching schools and clinics throughout the country.
In the area of social services, the President said Government had noted the deterioration of services, particularly in health and education, and was working flat out to rectify the situation, which had been compounded by the ruinous sanctions from the West.
He said although the sanctions were biting, they would never get Zimbabwe to surrender or compromise on its sovereignty and independence.
‘‘Isu tirikuendera mberi nevanhu. Hondo yavakatikokera (veMDC) yemaBritish yemasanctions, yaunza mahardships amuonawo mamwe, tinoziva kuti hondo yacho tinayo, haiite kuti itikandise pasi mapfumo nekuti Zimbabwe yakakosha iyi.’’
He said the British had managed to manipulate the economy as they largely controlled it, but Government wanted that to change by empowering indigenous Zimbabweans through the Indigenisation and Empowerment Act.
‘‘Hupfumi hwatiri kuchema uhu kuti, hauri kumuka zvakanaka hwanga hwakabatwa nemaBritish, zvino takavamba nekukupai ivhu, ndokuzotevera iye zvino zvekushandisa, matractor nemagejo, zvese nezvikochikari. Toenda zvino, tavakuenda kune zvatainoshava muvhu umu, maminerals. Izvozvo zvinoda makambani, tirikuti vatema ngativasimbaradzei vaite makambani avo. Vanokwanisa kupinda mune aripo, tinoti pindai tinokutsigirai. Asi iwayo ndiwo atirikuti, ngaazvipenengure, tave kuti penengurai, pave nenzira, vatema vapinde mucompanies enyu, vave ne51percent. Vanowana chikamu chinoita kuti vabate macompanies iwayo, kuti ave avo, chikuru kupfuura chevauyi.’’
The President latter commissioned 23 buses, the first tranche of 35 to be given to Mashonaland Central Province. The buses will be distributed equally between the province’s eight districts.
Cde Mugabe was accompanied to the rally by First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, senior Politburo and Central Committee members from Mashonaland Central, and candidates at various levels.
He said the reports — being splashed by online news agencies — were the opposition and its Western handlers’ strategy of causing confusion within Government and Zanu-PF as part of their regime change agenda.
"It is uncharacteristic that I answer you because the CIO does not talk to the Press. However, be that as it may, I think clarity is a virtue and the organisation prides itself in that. I think it is important for me to put the record straight.
"My understanding of the opposition and its masters’ strategy has been to cause confusion within the Government and Zanu-PF by creating rumours and spreading them. When people start dropping names, this feeds into their strategy of rumour-mongering.
"On my part really, I have no association whatsoever with the Makoni group and everything being said is rubbish," Rtd Maj-Gen Bonyongwe said.
One of the news agencies, ZimOnline yesterday claimed that Rtd Maj-Gen Bonyongwe has links with Makoni’s bid to oust President Mugabe.
The agency claimed this was the first signal that divisions in the ruling Zanu-PF party might be filtering down to the intelligence service.
Quoting unnamed authoritative sources, ZimOnline claimed the CIO was in the grip of a power struggle between Rtd Maj-Gen Bonyongwe and his deputy Mr Maynard Muzariri.
But the CIO boss said he wondered if the Makoni group had supporters and was convinced it was going around creating perceptions that "so and so supports us".
Makoni has been claiming that some senior people in Government and Zanu-PF support him without naming them.
"In my case and as far as the service (CIO) is concerned, we are a professional service. I was appointed by H.E. President Mugabe. I am serving the President and through him my country.
"I serve one master and the master is the President. The fact that there is no faction which can claim ownership of me means I am doing my job impartially.
"This country has been subjected to a torrent of attacks since 1999 (when Government began steps to institute land reforms) and the service has stood up very well in a united manner.
"We are professional and principled and we will not abandon our task to protect the security of Zimbabwe, national interest and our leader, the President. Basically that is the CIO."
Makoni’s handlers have been claiming that they have backers in Zanu-PF and appeared to have been taking advantage of the silence of those said to be backing it.
On Wednesday, President Mugabe told journalists that one of the people said to be backing Makoni, Zanu-PF Politburo member and former army commander Retired General Solomon Mujuru met him on Monday and told him that he was not in any way associated with the Makoni project.
On Monday, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Cde Patrick Chinamasa also denied links with the Makoni group after Dumiso Dabengwa had claimed he was involved in the project.
Case against EU sanctions on Zim opens in London
By a Special Correspondent
THE first ever case brought before a European court challenging the European Union on sanctions imposed against Zimbabwe opened in London at the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal yesterday.
Described by lawyers as novel, the case follows action by the Zimbabwean Deputy Minister of Economic Development Senator Aguy Georgias’ lawsuit against the British government challenging the EU travel ban on Zimbabwean Government officials.
The senator was last year barred by British immigration authorities from transiting through London to New York where he was to receive an international award on behalf of his company, Trinity Engineering.
In the lawsuit, Senator Georgias is challenging the legality of the sanctions, in particular the infringement of his rights to freedom of movement imposed by the EU through the travel ban.
He is particularly concerned with the contagion effect on business and on the ordinary people of Zimbabwe who have endured immense economic hardships since 2002 when the EU imposed the sanctions regime.
Sanctions, as imposed on Zimbabwe by the EU and the United States, Sen Georgias argued, are hurting ordinary people and not the ruling elite on whom they are purportedly targeted.
After a series of delays evidently calculated to forestall and frustrate the hearing of the case for its potential to embarrass British and the EU authorities, the hearing of Sen Georgias’ case at the AIT eventually started in London.
British authorities have, however, barred Sen Georgias from travelling to Britain to attend the case despite an earlier undertaking granting entitlement to an in country right of appeal as enshrined in UK’s Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.
Government lawyers had urged for the case to proceed without the senator’s presence but the presiding judge ruled in favour of Sen Georgias’ solicitors for an adjournment.
At yesterday’s hearing where heads of arguments were presented, Sen Georgias’ solicitors won a reprieve for adjournment pending a determination by the High Court on the appeal against refusal by British authorities to grant him permission to travel to Britain for an in country appeal.
Since his appointment to Senate in 2006, Sen Georgias has forcefully argued against the use by Western powers of economic sanctions as a foreign policy tool.
The London case will put to severe test the EU sanctions on Zimbabwe, which have wrought economic malaise on Zimbabwe now reeling under hyperinflation and immense economic hardships.
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