Zimbabwe Telegraph
By MIRIAM MARUFU
Thursday, April 16, 2009

HARARE – The newly appointed 25-member parliamentary committee responsible for initiating the process of coming up with a people-driven Constitution will meet next Monday to determine how best to handle the process. The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) has made it clear it does not support a new constitution driven by political parties who made up the Unity Government.

The National Constitutional Assembly immediately fired a warning salvo Wednesday, warning that it would vigorously campaign against the process.

Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Lovemore Moyo, on Sunday announced the committee ahead of the 13 April 2009 deadline fixed in the Global Political Agreement (GPA), signed by the three principals of the three major political parties in the country.

The committee is made up of members from both the two MDC formations and Zanu PF.
The body will be responsible for drafting a new Constitution by February 2010, which will be judged through a referendum in July and if the people agree with it, the Constitution would be passed before the end of the year.

The parliamentary select committee will also put in place sub-committees to determine a number of issues involved in coming up with the Constitution.

Hon. Moyo said the select committee would drive the writing of the new constitution for the country in the next 18 months as outlined under the GPA that the three main political parties signed last year.
“The Constitution making process will require substantial financial and human resources,” Hon. Moyo.
“I therefore, call upon all progressive forces to join hands with us in ensuring that the process brings tangible results that we can all be proud of.

“This historic inter-party political agreement places the responsibility of leading the constitution making process on the Parliament and more importantly, provides an opportunity for the country to create a constitution by the people for the people.”

Dr Lovemore Madhuku, NCA chairman, said he would lead a campaign against the constitution, which should go to a referendum next year.

“The NCA will campaign for a No vote, because any document that comes from a defective process is defective,” Madhuku told a news conference.

“We are going to start a campaign of opposing this process. We will obviously be holding demonstrations,” he added.

It emerged that Tsvangirai’s MDC boycotted a meeting called by the NCA to explain its position last week. And Madhuku claimed the Prime Minister had specifically instructed his loyalists not to attend.
“It is a fact that Prime Minister Tsvangirai instructed his MPs to boycott our meeting. We have been boycotting their (MDC-T) meetings, so they want to use the boycott weaponry as well. They chose to make a tit-for-tat decision. What this means is that the struggle continues and it is still on,” he said.
Moyo said a constitution was a living and sacred document that “we should all be proud of”.

The 25 committee members are; from the MDC Hon. Amos Chibaya, Senator Gladys Gombani Dube, Hon. Iain Kay, Senator Cephas Makuyana, Hon. Editor Mayamisa, Hon. Evelyn Masiti, Hon. Douglas Mwonzora, Hon. Jabulani Ndlovu, Hon. Brian Tshuma, Hon. Gift Chimanikire, Hon. Jessie Majome, Senator David Coltart, Hon. Dalumazi Khumalo and Hon. Edward Tshothso Mkhosi.

From Zanu PF the members are; Hon. Flora Bhuka, Hon. Walter Chidakwa, Hon. Edward Chindori Chininga, Hon. Joram Gumbo, Hon. Paul Mangwana, Hon. Martin Khumalo, Senator Tambudzai Mohadi, Hon. Olivia Muchena, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa and Governor Thokozile Mathuthu.

The chairperson of the committee who is expected to come from an independent body is expected to be announced soon.

Newsnet
13 April 2009

The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Honourable Lovemore Moyo, has announced a 25-member select committee to drive the making of a new constitution in line with the Global Political Agreement signed by the principals of ZANU-PF and the two MDC formations on 15 September last year.

The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Honourable Lovemore Moyo, has announced a 25-member select committee to drive the making of a new constitution in line with the Global Political Agreement signed by the principals of ZANU-PF and the two MDC formations on 15 September last year.

The 25-member select committee that has resumed its duties comprises 9 members of parliament from ZANU-PF, 9 from the MDC-T, 3 from the MDC-M , one chief and 3 other MPs that have been appointed by the presiding officers.

Those appointed into the committee are as follows:
Honourables Flora Buka-ZANU-PF, President of the Chiefs Council, Senator Fortune Charumbira, Amos Chibaya-MDC-T, Walter Chidhakwa-ZANU-PF, Edward Chindori-Chininga-ZANU-PF, Senator David Coltart-MDC-M, Senator Gladys Gombami Dube-MDC-T, Joram Gumbo-ZANU-PF, Ian Kay-MDC-T, Martin Khumalo-ZANU-PF, Senator Dalumuzi Khumalo-MDC-M, Cephas Makuyana-MDC-T, Paul Mangwana-ZANU-PF, Evelyn Masaiti-MDC-T, Editor Matamisa-MDC-T, Senator Tambudzai Mohadi-ZANU-PF, Edward Tshotsho Mkhosi-MDC-M, Olivia Muchena-ZANU-PF, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa-ZANU-PF, Douglas Mwonzora-MDC-T, Senator Jabulani Ndlovu-MDC-T, Brian Tshuma-MDC-T, Senator Thokozile Mathuthu-ZANU-PF, Gift Chimanikire-MDC-T and Jessie Majome-MDC-T.

Mr Moyo said the select committee shall oversee the setting up of sub-committees that will be chaired by a member of parliament and representative of civil society.

It will also hold public hearings, convene an all stakeholders conference to consult and table its draft constitution to a 2nd stakeholders conference as well as to report to parliament on its recommendations over the content of the new constitution.

The Speaker of the House urged the new select committee to be professional and serve the interests of Zimbabweans in bringing in a new democratic constitution.

Zimbabwe Times
April 12, 2009
By Raymond Maingire

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s unity government has set up a 25-member parliamentary
committee to spearhead the drafting of the country’s first post-independence
Constitution.

This is in line with a political agreement signed on September 15, 2008, by
Zanu-PF and the two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) parties, which
prescribes the drafting of a new constitution within the first 18 months of
the formation of the unity government.

The political agreement stipulates that the establishment of the
parliamentary committee should be executed within the first two months of
the inception of the new government. April 13 is the deadline for such
exercise.

The next stage shall be the convening of the all-stakeholders conference
which should be within three months of the appointment of the Select
Committee. This should end on July 13, 2009.

From then, the team shall embark on a four month consultation process after
which the draft constitution shall be tabled to an all-stakeholders
conference not later than February 13, 2010.

The draft constitution and the accompanying report shall be tabled in
Parliament within a month of the second all stakeholders conference whose
deadline shall be March 13, 2010.

There shall be subsequent debate on the draft constitution and the
accompanying report concluded in Parliament within one month whose deadline
shall be April 13, 2010.

The draft constitution emerging from Parliament shall be gazetted before the
holding of a referendum which would be within three months of the conclusion
of the debate. This shall be done between the period between April 13 and
July 13, 2010.

If the draft constitution is approved by the referendum, it shall be
gazetted within one month of the date of the referendum, that is between
July 13 and August 13, 2010.

The draft constitution shall finally be introduced to Parliament not later
than one month after the expiration of the period of 30 days from the date
of its gazetting, that is October 12, 2010.

Currently, Zimbabwe is still using the Lancaster House Constitution
negotiated between the rebel Rhodesian government of Ian Smith and the two
liberation movements, Zanu-PF of Robert Mugabe and PF-Zapu led by the late
Joshua Nkomo. It was signed in December 1979 leading to independence on
April 18, 1980 and has since been amended a record 19 times.

The absence of a home grown constitution is seen as the cause of Zimbabwe’s
political paralysis that has seen the country grappling with the excesses of
a long serving executive president with multiple terms of office.

Addressing journalists at Parliament Sunday afternoon, the Speaker of the
House of Assembly, Lovemore Moyo appealed for donor funding to see through
the expensive process.

He said, “Let us all take this challenge head on and pool our resources
together for the good of Zimbabweans.

“It is my fervent hope that development agencies and other foreign
organisations will take as much interest, if not more, as they took in the
challenges that our country has been facing and contribute financial and
material resources in support of the work of the select committee.”

He however declined to attach a figure to the process saying Parliament was
still finalizing a budget for the select committee and its sub-committees.

The drafting of a new constitution is the first such process to be supported
by Zimbabwe’s two political rivals.

A 2000 draft constitution led by government was rejected by the Zimbabwean
electorate after a vigorous campaign for its rejection by the MDC and civic
society.

At its first meeting on Monday, March 30, 2009, the recently established
parliamentary committee on standing rules and orders resolved to select the
25 member select committee that will see Zanu-PF and MDC both contributing
nine of its parliamentarians to the committee.

The Arthur Mutambara-led MDC, the smaller of the two MDCs shall second three
of its members with the chiefs appointing one member.

The remaining three MPs were appointed by presiding officers.

Members selected into the committee include, Flora Buka (Zanu-PF); Senator
Fortune Charumbira, the President of the Chiefs Council; Amos Chibaya
(MDC-T); Walter Chidakwa (Zanu-PF); Senator David Coltart (MDC-M); Senator
Gladys Gombani Dube (MDC-T); Joram Gumbo (Zanu- PF) and Ian Kay (MDC-T).

The others are Martin Khumalo (Zanu-PF); Senator Dalumuzi Khumalo (MDC-M);
Cephas Makuyana (MDC-M); Paul Mangwana (Zanu-PF); Evelyn Masaiti (MDC-T);
Editor Matamisa (MDC-T); Senator Tambudzai Mohadi (Zanu-PF); Edward
Tsholotsho Mkhosi (MDC-M); Olivia Muchena (Zanu-PF); Senator Monica
Mutsvangwa (Zanu-PF); Douglas Mwonzora (MDC-T); Senator Jabulani Ndlovu
Ndlovu (MDC-T) and Brian Tshuma (MDC-T).

Those appointed by presiding officers are Senator Thokozani Mathuthu, Gift
Chimanikire and Jessie Majome

Saturday Argus
April 11, 2009
By Peta Thornycroft

David Coltart, Zimbabwe’s new minister of education, is becoming a touch irritated at the publicity he has received after he chose not to accept a Mercedes-Benz as part of the trappings of his lowly paid job as a minister.

“The Benz is rather tiresome, one of those issues that makes a good story but which has the potential to drive a wedge between me and my colleagues,” he said on Friday.

When he first refused the Benz he said in more light-hearted vein that, if he had accepted it, he would have been too embarrassed to visit his friend, Paul Themba Nyathi, founding member of the MDC.

He and Nyathi made a pact that neither, if called to high office, would ever accept this widely perceived symbol of Zanu-PF disregard for the plight of the man on the street.

“I have a very nice Nissan 4×4, which may be cheaper to run but that also cost a lot of money which could have been better spent.

‘My decision was not only because of my Nyathi pact but also because it is much better suited for visiting rural schools.

“Can’t you please instead report the means test for school fees rather than the Benz? Please.

“All parents who cannot pay fees can now apply to school heads for relief by completing a means test which requires them to declare income and assets.

“School heads with assessment committees are now given authority to waive fees either in full or in part. Its implementation has been delayed either because of logistical problems or deliberate obstruction within ministry but it is now being applied.

“I am more depressed by the process (inclusive government) than I have been for some time. It it is so much harder to stomach knowing the utter chaos that prevails in every sector. I visited schools in Bulawayo this week and they are in a shocking, shocking state.

“The cunning of those seeking to undermine some of what I and others are trying to do is also staggering considering that it affects Zimbabwe children. I am desperately looking for money for textbooks this week.”

Coltart, like all MDC members in cabinet, tries to temper his public language in the spirit of the political agreement.

The MDC persists in doing so, despite multiple breaches of the agreement by shrinking numbers of Zanu-PF hardliners, as it begins to stabilise some of the worst of the chaos.

“The inclusive government in Zimbabwe is not yet about power-sharing, it is still about the struggle for power”, a Western diplomat said this week, admitting that he was also “delighted” that his cynicism about the unity government was being chipped away.

Another Western diplomat said: “It is still extremely risky, but at least there is a chance, and we are happy to have been proved wrong.”

If all cabinet ministers are paid the same as Coltart, then the Benz issue is irrelevant anyway.

He earned less than R1 000 in February, less than R3 000 in March and had to give up his partnership in a struggling Bulawayo law firm to go into cabinet.

Others must be in the same position, including Zanu-PF ministers, unless there are secret sponsors and slush funds.

All MDC members now in the cabinet who went into existing portfolios are shocked to discover the depth of disintegration.

There is almost nothing left in the social services ministries which the MDC has taken on.

When prime minister Robert Mugabe won power in 1980, despite the bitter war, the education infrastructure was there and it was good. It only needed massive expansion to accommodate all children, not just all white children.

Same with health care.

This time, after another kind of war, there is almost nothing left for anyone.

In 2003 the World Bank estimated it would take 15 years to get Zimbabwe back to its 1997 state and it had already started to decline then.

The ongoing attacks against key white commercial farmers is understated by South African diplomats.

The line is that there are no new land invasions. That all the disturbances at present are about land already gazetted for acquisition. That is true.

Also true is that the constitution says that the owners of more than 4 000 farming businesses taken by the state since 2000 have to be paid compensation, now estimated at R30-billion.

“The MDC seem unable or unwilling to stop what is happening to us,” said one farmer in despair this week.

“Some of us are too tired to go on. Tens of thousands of farm workers will be forced out of work. Tens of thousands of US dollars of tobacco was destroyed by thugs in the last couple of weeks. So what is the point?”

The multi-party Joint Operation and Implementation Committee, JOMIC, mediating violations of the political agreement upon which the unity government is formed, has managed to get all but three detainees released on bail.

There is no reconstruction yet. That is a long way off. This period is about stabilisation economists say.

Hyper-inflation disappeared when people abandoned the Zimbabwe dollar and central bank governor Gideon Gono had to allow US dollars and the rand to become the currency.

Many children have returned to their derelict schools, and Western aid through the ongoing cholera epidemic brought some stability to the health sector.

The West is now able to feed at least half the population without interference.

There are many fewer political arrests, except for the farmers, and the state media is less poisonous than before the unity government.

Most of the political violence has gone.

Finance minister Tendai Biti has clipped the wings of Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono and a process to write a new constitution is beginning.

“It’s about perception” an MDC official said about taking the Benz. “It looks bad to the man in the street.”

HARARE TRIBUNE
MONDAY, 6 APRIL 2009

Coltart said there are no ghost exam markers in ZIMSEC

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart has described as false reports that there were ghost examination markers registered by the Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council (Zimsec).
Speaking in a telephone interview from Harare, Minister Coltart said Zimsec had made a mistake in listing the markers.

The Minister was responding to reports in the media, that there were a number of ghost markers.
He said the main problem was duplication of names and national identity numbers, which appeared twice on the register.

Minister Coltart said the duplication of names was a result of typographical errors on the part of the examination body.

“The situation is under control and the Zimsec list was re-written without the anomalies,” said Minister Coltart.

He argued that the list of markers was long, since there were 3 500 teachers and mistakes were bound to occur.

“There were anomalies in the list of markers and I can’t say there are any ghost markers. There is nothing like that. It was just duplication of names and IDs but that has since been dealt with,” said Minister Coltart.

He cited the glaring mistakes as one of the major reasons that caused the delay in the payment of markers.

The Government, in conjunction with United Nations agencies, the Minister said, had already started paying Ordinary Level markers while Advanced Level examinations markers would be paid soon.
Minister Coltart could not be drawn to reveal the exact date when the examiners would access their allowances.

The markers are reportedly getting US$1 per script.

The marking of Zimsec 2008 final examination was delayed by months due to a teachers’ strike that dragged for almost a year.

Teachers were on an industrial action demanding a salary of US$2 300. However, the Government has awarded teachers and other civil servants an allowance of US$100.

The Standard
By NDAMU SANDU
5 April 2009

MDC-T MPs will soon convene a caucus to consider an offer of cars from the central bank, amid warnings from political parties that such a move would compromise the independence of Parliament.

On Thursday Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor Gideon Gono played “Father Christmas” by offering the central bank’s cars to legislators for use in their day-to-day work.

Gono said the cars would be returned after the Minister of Finance, Tendai Biti, found money to buy cars for legislators.

MDC-T Chief Whip, Innocent Gonese said the party was still to “meet as a caucus to consider the proposal to have cars from RBZ”.

Gonese, however, said some legislators were facing difficulties in travelling to their constituencies as they do not have personal cars and the allowances they receive are inadequate to buy vehicles.

MPs, like all civil servants, get an allowance of US$100. Gonese said legislators had not been receiving their transport allowances last year. In the period from August to November, he said, they received allowances in Zimbabwean dollars – inadequate to meet their daily needs.

Travel allowances were also paid in local currency at US$0.30-US$0.35 a kilometre, calculated at the official bank rate. They did not get sitting allowances, Gonese said.

But Senator David Coltart, the Minister of Education, Sports, Arts and Culture and a senior member in the MDC-M warned yesterday MPs should not accept the cars as such a move would compromise the independence of legislators.

“I believe it will compromise the independence of legislators,” Coltart, a lawyer, said. “I don’t believe the Reserve Bank should be involved in handing out vehicles to anyone. The Parliamentary vehicle scheme is the appropriate way.

“Unfortunately this is another example of quasi-fiscal expenditure which we are trying to run away from. We should not encourage that.”

Told that the vehicles had been bought for other purposes, Coltart said the cars should have been sold and the money used to supplement scarce resources in our budget.

Coltart said he would not accept the RBZ offer.

“No, I will not accept a vehicle from the Reserve Bank. It is a time of financial constraints and we have to tighten our belts,” he said.

Coltart declined a ministerial Mercedes Benz vehicle and opted for a Nissan 4×4 saying his job requires visiting rural areas which would not be compatible with the Benz.

Retired Major Kudzai Mbudzi, head of National Mobilisation in the Mavambo formation accused the central bank of engaging in “quasi-political activities” which would compromise the independence of Parliament.

“These are the quasi-political activities of the Reserve Bank. These are the same cars that were given to soldiers to campaign for Zanu PF,” Mbudzi said.

Mbudzi said RBZ was trying to curry favours with legislators. On Thursday Gono said the offer of cars was not meant to bribe MPs but was a realisation that legislators needed transport to move around their constituencies.

He boasted that RBZ interventions had resulted in some legislators retaining their constituencies.
The majority of the legislators murmured disapprovals as Gono made his presentation only to applaud when Gono dangled the cars.

Mbudzi said the fact that some legislators applauded the offer of cars showed that they “are into power to remove their poverty”.

Political analysts questioned Gono’s motive, adding that the move would weaken Parliament’s watchdog role.

Ironically, Parliament on Wednesday is supposed to debate the alleged unauthorised use of Africa University foreign currency by the central bank, resulting in the stalling of projects at the university.
“It compromises the independence, autonomy and capacity of Parliament to act as watchdog of RBZ and its structures,” said Professor Eldred Masunungure, the director of the Mass Public Opinion Institute.

“This is all part of Zanu PF way of doing things anchored on patronage-driven behaviour,” Masunungure said.

Masunungure said Gono was marginalised in the past few weeks by the ministry of Finance and he was trying to carve some space for himself.

He said a number of legislators were suffering and were susceptible to this incentive.

“MPs have been agitating for these vehicles and with Tendai Biti saying the coffers are empty, Gono is trying to lure the Parliamentarians to his side,” Masunungure said.
“This is a fight back by Gono on the individual level and the Reserve Bank as the institution but this is more to do with the former rather than the latter.”

In his address to legislators on Thursday, Gono said central bank’s interventions had benefited all sectors of the economy but Masunungure disagreed.

“Who in the civil society benefited,” he asked.

Non-Governmental Organisations spent the better part of last year besieging RBZ after the central had raided their foreign currency accounts.

Law expert Dr Lovemore Madhuku said Gono was trying to legitimise his quasi-fiscal operations by dishing out cars to legislators. He was quick to add that the issue was not about the central bank governor but the principals.

“Why have principals kept quiet about the outstanding issues? Why has the issue of Gono not been resolved? Why is Gono confident of coming out of his hiding,” Madhuku asked.

Gono’s position together with that of Attorney-General Johannes Tomana was the subject for discussion when the three principals – President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara – joined forces to form an inclusive government in February.
Gono told legislators that his actions were above board and in line with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Act.

The Standard
By EDGAR GWESHE
5 April 2009

STAFFING levels in the country’s education sector remain low despite a government directive that teachers who had left the profession should be reinstated to curtail staff shortages, The Standard has learnt.
The government in February issued a directive that teachers who had left the profession between January 2007 and March 2009 could be reinstated in their respective stations.

However teachers’ representative bodies last week said that despite the directive some schools still experienced serious staff shortages.

Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) secretary-general Richard Gundani said 35% of the posts in primary schools across the country were still vacant, while in secondary schools the figure was 33%.

“There have been quite a number of hiccups in the reinstatement of teachers who had left the profession.
The interpretation of the policy document is being misunderstood by some education authorities who seem to be vindictive on teachers,” Gundani said.

He, however, said the most affected schools were in Matabeleland, which shares borders with South Africa and Botswana.

“In provinces like Matabeleland South and North, there are still some schools where you can only find a school head and a few remaining teachers,” he said.

The Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) estimates that an average of four teachers at each school left the profession in 2008, translating to about 30 000 teachers countrywide.

Zimbabwe has lost close to 70 000 teachers in the past years creating a huge teacher deficit.

The Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture says that a third of vacant posts still remain unfilled.

Senator David Coltart, the Minister of Education, said there was a “huge staff deficit” and he had received reports the reinstatement process was being frustrated.

“We continue to receive reports that the process is being frustrated and I am taking measures to make sure the process is respectable,” he said.

Coltart vowed to take action against “unruly elements” bent on retarding progress on the reinstatement of teachers.

Gundani said Zimta had asked the Ministry of Education to repeal a section in the policy document on reinstatement that says teachers will be readmitted initially for a period of one year after which an assessment will be carried out to determine their full reinstatement.

“We had to challenge that section because we feel it will not attract teachers back into the country, the conditions for readmission should not be so stringent,” Gundani said.

The PTUZ programmes and communication officer, Oswald Madziva, said many teachers who had applied for reinstatement were still waiting for approval.

“The process is too centralised and quite a number of teachers who had applied for readmission are still waiting to get a confirmation from the ministry,” he said.

Madziva also said some headmasters, and provincial and district education officers were frustrating the reinstatement of teachers.

“We had a case at Morgan High School, where a teacher was supposed to come through an amnesty but the head went on to abolish the subject (Office Practice) from the curriculum. The problem seems to be that some school heads are taking advantage of the situation to settle personal scores with teachers.”

The Guardian
By Maurice Gerard in Harare
Saturday 4 April 2009

Zimbabwe’s new unity government has sparked public outcry by accepting a succession of perks including a “retreat” to a luxury resort at Victoria Falls this weekend and a fleet of $50,000 Mercedes vehicles for ministers while the vast majority struggles to afford basic commodities.

The perception of officials feathering their nests is particularly awkward for former opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and his allies in the unity government, who spent years championing the lot of ordinary Zimbabweans during the economic collapse presided over by Robert Mugabe. It is also likely to raise questions about the government’s spending priorities, coming just days after it issued an appeal for billions of dollars.

Officially billed as a brainstorming session on how to take the country forward, the weekend retreat will take place at a tourist resort famed for its five-star safari lodges and the spectacular “Mosi-I-Tunya” waterfalls, the “smoke that thunders” in the local Shona language. Many Zimbabweans see the trip as another junket for the politically privileged.

“It’s just spitting in peoples’ faces at a time when the cities are suffering and much of the countryside is starving,” said Dumisani Moyo, 39, an office worker in the capital Harare.

The government has been quoted as saying the retreat will promote tourism, particularly as most foreign visitors have forsaken Zimbabwe for Zambia’s side of the falls. But criticism came from the most unlikely of sources: the slavishly pro-president Mugabe state-owned Herald daily newspaper. In a rare show of dissent its political editor Mabasa Sasa wrote a column earlier this week asking why politicians needed to spend “untold sums” of precious foreign exchange to wine, dine and talk on the peoples’ behalf when they could stay in the capital Harare.

Satirising the bon viveur politicians’ new taste for luxury in a rebuke all the more stinging for its unexpectedness, Sasa said: “It would be interesting to find out how high the bar tab will be considering the penchant for Chivas Regal and other exotically named whiskies and cognacs that people acquire when someone starts addressing them as Shefu [chief]”.

Barely seven weeks ago many of the ministers expected to attend were in opposition fighting for their political lives or facing the truncheons of president Robert Mugabe’s security services.

But the excursion is the culmination of a series of perks. These include the new government’s self-award of one Mercedes-Benz E-class for every minister at a time when most Zimbabweans are struggling to afford basic commodities such as cooking oil and the national maize staple mealie-meal.

Only one politician, MDC MP and minister for education David Coltart, refused the Benz. He said a Mercedes was not practical for negotiating the potholed roads of rural constituencies.

Zimbabwe’s economic and financial needs meanwhile remain critical. The regional Southern African Development Community announced this week that it would assist Zimbabwe in trying to raise up to US$8.3bn to rebuild its shattered economy.

The reforming MDC finance minister Tendai Biti said the country urgently needed US$2bn in aid inflows within the next two weeks to meet its debt obligations and pay civil servants.

Important, if modest, economic and political reforms have already taken place under the combined auspices of Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party and their one-time enemies the Movement for Democratic change. But there are also deep misgivings. Christopher Goche, 35, a taxi driver and MDC supporter, said he was worried that politicians were “feathering their nests when there is a long way to go”.

Despite the national outpouring of sympathy for prime minister Tsvangirai, whose wife died in a car accident last month, there are fears that the former trade unionist is becoming co-opted by Mugabe much like one-time opposition leader Joshua Nkomo was in the 1980s.

Nkomo, once the president’s most popular rival, was incorporated into a Mugabe-led government under Zimbabwe’s “unity accord” in 1987.

“For the moment things are stable but one can’t mistake growing disenchantment with the new unity government barely a month after its inception … Tsvangirai is operating under a shadow of Nkomo,” said Dr Ibbo Mandaza, a former Zanu-PF politician and Harare-based analyst.

The Zimbabwean
4 April 2009

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s cash-strapped government said last week that it hadrun out of funds to complete marking of public school examinationswritten last year and whose results should have been out several weeksago.

Education Minister David Coltart told a meeting of the education sectorin Harare that results that should have been announced at the end ofthis month had been postponed to a later date while the governmentscrounges for cash to compete the marking of Ordinary and AdvancedLevel examinations.

“Marking of the papers is complete but there is no sufficient money tocontinue the exercise,” Coltart told delegates who also includedrepresentatives of several international aid organisations.

The results are traditionally announced by the end of February.

Coltart said his ministry was looking for more funds from donors tocomplete the marking to complement ongoing government efforts to sourcefunds from through the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The failure to process public school examinations highlights the rot inZimbabwe’s once envied educations system after 10 years ofunder-funding and mismanagement.

Classrooms have crumbled, textbooks are in short supply, while a severebrain drain that has seen thousands of teachers and other professionalssuch as bankers, lawyers, doctors and engineers fleeing Zimbabwe to goabroad where remuneration and living conditions are better has leftschools badly understaffed.

Teachers agreed to return to work after months on strike and to startmarking the examinations only after the new power-sharing governmentbetween President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangiraiagreed to pay all civil servants allowances of US$100 each per month.

Markers are also being paid in hard cash. But with production at eitherstandstill or well below capacity across all sectors of the economy,the government is fast running out of cash for allowances and for otherkey functions.

A SADC summit on Monday agreed to help raise US$10 billion from the international community to bankroll Zimbabwe’s recovery.

But rich Western governments with capacity to fund the unity governmenthave refused to provide support until they see evidence Mugabe iscommitted to genuine power sharing and to implementing comprehensivepolitical and economic reforms.