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
By Hebert Zharare
Zimbabwe Herald
Namibia, in its capacity as Sadc chair, recently summoned the American ambassador in Windhoek to explain why her country continued to impose illegal economic sanctions on Zimbabwe, it has emerged.
Speaking to The Herald at the Harare International Airport yesterday morning, Namibia’s Foreign Affa-irs Minister, Mr Utoni Nujoma, said Windhoek had done this in its capacity as Sadc chair and as a fellow opponent of imperialism.
Minister Nujoma said Windhoek had summoned Ambassador Gail Dennise Mathieu to express their displeasure over the economic embargo.
He said: "From our side as the chair of Sadc, we have called in the ambassador of the United States of America to tell her the Sadc position and that of Namibia that these sanctions must go now."
At the Sadc Summit in Namibia in August, regional leaders mandated Sadc chair President Hifikepunye Pohamba and the Troika chaired by President Rupiah Banda of Zambia to lobby Western powers to remove their ruinous sanctions.
To this end, South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma — who is the deputy chair of the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security — has already told the European Union and the United States to lift their sanctions.
Minister Nujoma added that the illegal Western sanctions were affecting the whole region and Sadc leaders should expeditiously lobby the international community for their removal.
He said: "An important decision was made during the Sadc Summit in Namibia in July that these illegal economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe must go because they have a contagion effect on Southern Africa countries.
"Because of these sanctions, the Heads of State and Government decided that the chairman of Sadc (President Pohamba) and chairman of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security, President (Rupiah) Banda of Zambia, and his deputy should undertake a trip to the Western countries; to go to the United Kingdom, the European Union and also to the United States of America and tell them that time has come for these sanctions to go."
He said the Organ was responsible for organising the principals’ itinerary.
Minister Nujoma, who was in Zimbabwe at the invitation of his counterpart, Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, as part of efforts to boost bilateral ties, left yesterday.
"I also came here to discuss issues to do with peace and security in the region. We still have problems in Madagascar and we are still trying to solve that issue.
"There are still some pockets of problems in the DRC and we are working with President Joseph Kabila.
"We discussed issues of food security in Zimbabwe and in the region.
"We agreed the only way to solve the problems in Zimbabwe is the removal of the economic sanctions."
Minister Mumbengegwi thanked Namibia for offering Zimbabwe use of a facility at Walvis Bay harbour.
"Namibia has sacrificed a lot for Zimbabwe. During the time of the cholera epidemic, they did a lot for this country.
"Zesa and Nampower entered into a deal where Namibia gave us US$40 million to rehabilitate our systems.
"Not many countries are able to come and assist a sister state when in trouble," he said.
Also at the airport was Media, Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu.
MDC-T disrupts Senate proceedings
Herald Reporters
MDC-T senators disrupted proceedings during debate in the Upper House for the second day in a row yesterday over the presence of governors whose terms President Mugabe recently extended as required by the Constitution.
On Tuesday, MDC-T senators caused chaos over Matabeleland North Governor Thokozile Mathuthu’s presence in the House.
Yesterday they again brought business to a halt when Senator Tichaona Mudzingwa (MDC-T) protested the presence of governors David Karimanzira (Harare), Faber Chidarikire (Mashonaland West), Jaison Machaya (Midlands) and Mathuthu.
He argued that there were "strangers in the House" whose presence was illegal.
The MDC-T senators became rowdy and started singing and banging tables.
The senators sang for about 25 minutes before Governor Mathuthu moved a motion for adjournment. Senate President Cde Edna Madzongwe (Zanu-PF) subsequently adjourned proceedings.
In an interview afterwards, Zanu-PF Chief Whip and Beitbridge Senator Cde Tambudzani Mohadi condemned the unruly conduct. "They should join a choir if they enjoy singing. Governors were constitutionally re-appointed and the issue has been gazetted," she said.
Chief Musarurwa said MDC-T legislators had desecrated the House.
"It is surprising that the Senate has been turned into a House for singing. We expect this kind of behaviour at rallies.
"It shows they are not putting the national interest first. There are better ways of resolving issues," he said.
Mashonaland Central Governor Advocate Martin Dinha said MDC-T was spoiling for a fight. "They are not the appointing authority, the appointing authority is the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and we were legally appointed.
"We will continue to attend the House. What they are doing is a disservice to the constituencies that elected them.
"As governors we will continue to govern, if they do not want to be in Government they should simply pull out.
"Even the Prime Minister should resign and we go for elections and deal with the matter once and for all."
On Tuesday Senator Morgan Komichi (MDC-T) raised on a point of order and told Cde Madzongwe (Zanu-PF) that there was a "stranger in the House".
Cde Madzongwe overruled him saying Governor Mathuthu’s presence was in order.
That is when the MDC-T legislators started getting raucous. Cde Madzongwe stood her ground and directed that Senate go straight into the business of the day with Chimanimani Senator Cde Monica Mutsvangwa (Zanu-PF) taking the floor to contribute to debate on President Mugabe’s speech when he officially opened Parliament.
The MDC-T senators then walked out only to return five minutes later to make noise in a bid to drown out Cde Mutsvangwa.
Proceedings were adjourned when it was ruled the MDC-T legislators had become uncontrollable.
Tsholotsho Senator Believe Gaule (MDC) condemned the MDC-T legislators saying they were using the wrong platform to air their grievances.
"We have a different approach to address these issues. We believe that there is Jomic and our principals are dealing with these issues. My feeling is that we should not take these things at a lower level like MPs when our leadership is handling it," said Sen Gaule.
Air Zimbabwe vehicles seized
Herald Reporters
The deputy sheriff yesterday briefly besieged Air Zimbabwe’s headquarters at the Harare International Airport and seized some vehicles to recover half-a-million dollars which the national airline owes workers in unpaid salaries and bonuses.
The High Court last week gave workers the green light to attach and auction the company’s movable properties after Air Zimbabwe failed to settle their November and December 2009 salaries and bonuses amounting to US$477 310,62.
On his arrival at the airport, the deputy sheriff had a closed-door meeting with management before attaching a 75-seater staff bus and two minibuses.
Also towed away by Ruby Auctions were two Mazda vehicles.
The deputy sheriff wanted to take 26 vehicles, but stopped after Air Zimbabwe filed an urgent chamber application at the High Court to bar seizure of its property. The National Air Workers’ Union, Air Transport Union and the deputy sheriff are cited as respondents in the application.
The matter will be heard today in Justice Chinembiri Bhunu’s chambers.
Air Zimbabwe is arguing that the writ of execution relied upon by the workers was irregularly issued.
It is their argument that they have since settled their debt but the arbitral award ignored that fact.
The company also submitted that the property sought exceeds the debt that is stated in the award.
The property includes:
--4 Mazda 323s
--3 Mazda B1800s
--2 Mazda 626s
--3 Mazda 3s
--3 Mazda Eagles
--1 Mazda B2200
--1 Mercedes Benz ML270
--4 Compressors
--1 Isuzu double cab
--1 Toyota Corolla
--2 buses
--1 Opel Astra
--1 Nissan Sunny
--10 lathe machines
--5 milling machines
The workers got an order to be paid US$477 310 in outstanding salaries and bonuses.
EU to recognise Zim ambassador
Herald Reporter
The European Union will adhere to the Vienna Convention on International Relations’ stipulations and ensure Zimbabwe’s Ambassador-designate to the EU, Mrs Margaret Muchada, starts her duties in Brussels, Belgium.
Addressing journalists after paying a courtesy call on Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara in Harare yesterday, European Commission Head of Mission in Zimbabwe Ambassador Aldo Dell’Ariccia said the bloc would accept any envoy seconded from any country.
He said such selections were an internal matter.
MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai recently wrote to the EU asking them not to recognise Ambassador Muchada, who was previously Zimbabwe’s top diplomat in Italy.
She now represents Zimbabwe in the EU and is also Ambassador to Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, replacing Ambassador Hurudza Punungwe, who died last year.
Ambassador Muchada is yet to present her credentials to the EU president.
Ambassador Dell’Ariccia said: "We follow the Vienna Convention on International Relations on the accreditation of ambassadors.
"One has to fulfil the international processes as stipulated in the convention."
He said there was no fixed timeframe for presentation of credentials.
On elections, the EU envoy said the bloc would not interfere unless invited as observers.
"Elections are a matter of sovereignty and are internal. We can’t say whether a country is ready or not.
"As long as the mechanisms are in place then a country can progress with elections.
"We can see that Zimbabwe is carrying out some of the mechanisms.
"We will only participate if we are invited. If we are asked to support we are ready to do that," he said.
Ambassador Dell’Ariccia has been in Zimbabwe for two months.
He described the meeting with DPM Mutambara as long overdue.
The DPM said the onus to find solutions to Zimbabwe’s problems lies with its citizens.
He called on the EU to remove its illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe.
"We believe that the desired impact of sanctions is to damage the brand of a given country," he said.
DPM Mutambara said the EU should engage Zimbabwe as an equal without undue conditionalities.
"We are a sovereign country. We don’t want to be treated like children."
DPM Mutambara said scrapping off the widely discredited economic embargo would open investment opportunities for Zimbabwe.
He called on the EU to channel its funding through Government structures.
"You cannot develop a country through NGOs and civil society.
"Let us move from aid to investments because we are sick and tired of surviving on aid," he said.
Coup plotters’ trial deferred
Court Reporter
THE treason trial of six men accused of plotting to overthrow President Mugabe to replace him with Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa has been deferred to tomorrow.
Justice Chinembiri Bhunu, who is presiding over the case, postponed the matter in his chambers.
Ex-soldier Albert Matapo, Nyasha Zivuku, Oncemore Mudzurahona, Emmanuel Marara, Patson Mupfure and Shingirai Mutemachani are the six accused.
The trial had been set down for two weeks last month, but failed to start after the defence made an application to stop proceedings.
The defence argued that there was a pending appeal at the Supreme Court and that the six were improperly before the court.
However, the application was dismissed and the court ordered the six to be tried.
The judge also noted that it was in the interest of justice that the case be finalised.
President to be installed HIT chancellor
Herald Reporter
President Mugabe will today be officially installed as the first Chancellor of the Harare Institute of Technology at a ceremony that will also see the inaugural graduation of the institution’s students since it attained university status.
The institution attained university status four years ago.
HIT offers degree programmes geared towards production of industrial technologists with proficiency in the area of study, industrial research, design, management and technopreneurial skills.
It was established to produce technical human resources that are creativity driven, project-oriented, understand all stages of invention including idea generation and development and have the ability to commercialise technology.
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