1. Zanu PF are now the de facto rulers of Zimbabwe and will be so for the next 5 years. No amount of sanctions or rhetoric will change that fact. They must now govern and deliver on their promises to the Zimbabwean electorate. Those opposed to Zanu PF and committed to a new democratic and lawful order in Zimbabwe now need to reorganise and prepare to fight the next general election. Given Zanu PF’s record of mis-governance during the last 33 years it is unlikely that they will be able to deliver on their promises. The one thing we do not need as we prepare for the next election is Zanu PF being given an excuse to explain why it has failed again. If restrictive measures and sanctions remain in place there is no doubt that they will be the centerpiece of Zanu PF’s propaganda campaign. There is little likelihood of Zimbabwe’s electronic media being opened up so the vast majority of the electorate will be subjected to this lie and excuse. In a recent meeting of civic leaders with a key Zanu PF strategist the strategist admitted that Zanu PF always needs an enemy to fight. This is of course a classic tactic of fascist parties down the ages to remain in power; enemies are needed to unite people against a supposed external evil force and to divert their attention away from the real reasons behind their poverty, namely mis-governance. This particular “enemy” , namely sanctions, must be removed as soon as possible to remove that lie from our political discourse.
2. Sanctions and restrictive measures have been particularly used in the diamond sector to facilitate and cover up massive corruption. In the last 4 years in Cabinet whenever we tried to investigate diamond receipts these efforts were always met with the excuse that there was a need for “secrecy” because of sanctions; that if there was a truly transparent process that that would be used by hostile Western Governments to stop the export of diamonds from Zimbabwe and in so doing have a dramatic negative effect on our GDP and revenue flows to Treasury. Of course it was just another lie because all the secrecy did was to enable a few to enrich themselves at the expense of the general public and the fiscus. A classic example of this is the statement made on Tuesday the 17th September 2013 by none other than President Mugabe in which he alleged that the former Chairman of the ZMDC Mr Godwills Masimirembwa had received a bribe of US$ 6 million from a Ghanian diamond mining house. This is just the tip of the iceberg. In truth the restrictive measures have allowed corrupt Government officials and Ministers to milk our diamond revenues for their own benefit. Some senior people have become obscenely wealthy in the last 5 years. It was because of this that former Finance Minister Tendai Biti called for the lifting of restrictions several years ago so that at least our diamonds could be sold through traditional, lawful diamond dealers and also that would mean that Zimbabwe would get the best prices for her diamonds. Nothing has changed in this regard and so as regards diamonds at least, these restrictive measures should be lifted. In stating this we are not naive regarding the fact that corruption will continue to plague this sector but at least the lifting of sanctions will remove the excuse that there is some justification for keeping our diamond dealings secret. Their removal will also at least mean that Zimbabwe will get better prices for her diamonds.
3. It is important to remember that the restrictive measures were just that – they were directed at a few individuals and were restricted in their application, largely confined to travel bans and asset freezes. Their primary benefit was to stigmitise those responsible for gross human rights abuses and corruption. The objective of stigmitising these individuals has been achieved; never again will those responsible for these crimes be considered as statesmen or paragons of virtue. However the equal reality is that the measures themselves have done little to trouble those targeted. Most of them had wind of the measures before they were implemented and managed to move their foreign assets to countries which had not imposed such measures. Travel bans have been circumvented through UN protocols. Furthermore the measures have not prevented the massive and illegal accumulation of wealth in Zimbabwe by the individuals targetted or for that matter their retention of raw power. If anything these measures have won these individuals sympathy from some African Governments who believe that they have not been uniformly, consistently or fairly applied by Western Governments. There is no doubt that this sympathy influenced some SADC Governments to look the other way in the face of brazen abuses of Zimbabwe’s electoral laws and Constitution in the last election. To that extent at least the retention of sanctions has actually  helped Zanu PF.

The Financial Gazette

By Financial Gazette Reporter

19 September 2013

BULAWAYO — With a new Cabinet now sworn-in by President Robert Mugabe, the country’s second largest city is waiting with bated breath to see how the new ZANU-PF government will deal with the city’s multi-faceted challenges.

While some say nothing much will improve in Bulawayo, affectionately known as the City of Kings and Queens, others believe ZANU-PF could confound its critics and deliver ahead of the next elections in 2018.

City of Kings and Queens residents and the ruling ZANU-PF have had a tumultuous relationship since the country gained independence in April 1980.

Residents of Bulawayo accuse ZANU-PF of deliberately pursuing a policy of marginalisation, an accusation persistently denied by the party.

As a result, ZANU-PF has persistently been punished at the polls by voters from the province, who have instead backed the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) led by Morgan Tsvangirai.

In the July 31 elections, the MDC-T won all 12 National Assembly seats and 29 council wards, leaving ZANU-PF with egg on its face.

ZANU-PF succeeded, however, in making inroads into other perceived MDC-T strongholds such as the Manicaland, Matabeleland North and South provinces.

Included in President Mugabe’s Cabinet line up are long serving ZANU-PF bigwigs, among them Emmerson Mnangagwa and Sydney Sekeramayi who have served in government since the 1980s.

Interestingly, there is no Minister in the current Cabinet from Bulawayo, whereas under the unity government the province was represented by David Coltart, Welshman Ncube, Gorden Moyo and Samuel Sipepa-Nkomo.

Political observers believe the new Cabinet, dominated by the old guard, offers little hope of either making a change or causing a radical shift in policy.

They do not see the new administration expending its energy and focus on the crisis gripping the Matabeleland region.

Bulawayo has suffered massive de-industrialisation, persistent water shortages and a looming hunger season which is likely to affect most parts of Matabeleland South.

Once the industrial hub of Zimbabwe, Bulawayo is almost on its knees. Since 2000, it has been dealt a body blow by de-industrialisation with nearly 100 companies having either closed shop or relocated to Harare, translating into the loss of an estimated 20 000 jobs.

The massive migration of people from the southern parts of Zimbabwe into South Africa and Botswana has also been blamed on company closures in Zimbabwe’s second largest city. Both industry players and residents of Bulawayo had pinned their hopes on the just-ended inclusive government turning around the fortunes of the city but that was not to be as company closures and  the streamlining of operations remained the order of the day with no end in sight.

The US$40 million Distressed Industries and Marginalised Areas Fund (DIMAF) earmarked for the city’s ailing industries since 2011 has not yielded much fruit.

In fact, some companies have either shut down or been placed under judicial management while queuing to access the fund.

There was finger-pointing in the former government regarding the ineffectiveness of DIMAF and other strategies adopted to bring back Zimbabwe’s economy on track. The ZANU-PF side of the government put the blame squarely on then finance minister Tendai Biti (MDC-T) whom they accused of deliberately sabotaging the economy.

Just before the July 31 polls, ZANU-PF promised to take measures to bring back Bulawayo to its former status as the industrial hub of the country, once elected into government.

President Mugabe, who on his inauguration, acknowledged that Bulawayo had been reduced to an “industrial scrapyard” has repeatedly said his government would move in to rescue the city from distress.

All eyes are therefore now fixed on the new Industry and Commerce Minister, Mike Bimha and his Finance counterpart, Patrick Chinamasa to deliver on promises made in the run-up to the elections.

Political analyst, Dumisani Nkomo, said the incoming government might starve council of resources and instead channel these through Provincial Minister Eunice Moyo, so as to discredit the MDC-T.

“ZANU-PF is looking at the bigger picture which is 2018 and they may pour in resources from the Chinese or diamonds so as to win Bulawayo in the next elections.They will starve the Bulawayo City Council and fund Provincial Minister Eunice Moyo, so as to discredit the MDC-T,” said Nkomo.

Vivid Gwede, a political commentator, said President Mugabe’s new Cabinet has the old stains of patronage, duplication of ministries, and is unnecessarily large.

“There is also the creation of dubious provincial ministers to usurp the power of the provinces in line with his desire to limit devolution and de-centralisation of power,” said Gwede.

“That aspect of doing away with devolution shows early signs that President Mugabe has many tricks of evading the spirit of the new Constitution, which the people of Bulawayo want.”

Rashweat Mukundu, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute, said Bulawayo’s fortunes would not be improved by the new ZANU-PF government.

“This is so because there is no investment taking place or likely to take place which will even trickle down to Bulawayo.

“With the ZANU-PF government sticking to its guns on indigenisation, we will see more industries shutting their doors, streamlining operations and shifting to Harare. So far what we have from ZANU-PF is rhetoric and a wish list on resuscitating Bulawayo and no concrete plans,” said Mukundu.

Another school of thought contends that the challenges facing the city could present an opportunity for ZANU-PF to turn things around.

Although it is hard to believe, Khanyile Mlotshwa, a political commentator based at Rhodes University, sees possible revival of the city under the new administration for several reasons.

“Firstly, ZANU-PF would like to prove themselves and create the impression that the unity government was the worst thing ever to happen to Zimbabwe.

“Secondly, the idea is that in Zimbabwe we are perpetually in an election mood, so everything is politicised and ZANU-PF will try to do its best to put itself in good books with the people of Bulawayo for the next election in 2018. I foresee Saviour Kasukuwere, the Environment and Water Minister coming out and working hard on the issue of water challenges facing the city and in the process setting the stage for the revival of the industries,” said Mlotshwa.

Cletus Moyo, president of the Matabeleland chapter of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), said they would want promises made during the campaign period delivered as soon as possible.

He said CZI had since written congratulatory letters to both Chinamasa and Bimha in which they also requested a meeting with them in order to hear from the horses’ mouth how they intend to take the country’s economy forward.

“However, the first thing we would want them to do is to ensure that the few companies that are there in Bulawayo remain operational and ensure there are no further closures,” he said.

Moyo said the new government should also help struggling companies to attract investment before moving on to resuscitate some of those that collapsed.

He, however, acknowledged that not all of the collapsed companies were worth reopening arguing that some had already been overtaken by technological advancements.

“It is indeed a welcome development that the Cabinet has been set up and we will now be knocking at their doors,” said Lucky Mlilo, chief executive officer for  the Association of Business in Zimbabwe.

Mlilo said the government needed to immediately capacitate economic enablers such as ZESA Holdings, Hwange Colliery Company and the National Railways of Zimbabwe to pave way for reindustrialisation of Bulawayo.

Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) Bulawayo chapter first vice chairperson, Tshidzanani Malaba, said they were taking the government at its word regarding the promises it made to industry and were also eagerly awaiting their fulfillment.

Bimha last week vowed he would implement the promises his party made regarding Bulawayo industries during the election campaign.

“Resuscitating industries in Bulawayo is a priority because this city used to be the country’s industrial hub,” said Bimha.

“Our party (ZANU-PF) campaigned on the basis of a manifesto and when people give you the mandate you have to deliver. I will look at how best to ensure the promises we made are realised. Sourcing funding for the recapitalisation of companies is a major issue and that will be our focus.”

Chinamasa, a former Justice Minister in the inclusive government, this week said he would not say anything on how he intends to take forward the country’s finances, arguing he needed to be first briefed by officials in his new ministry before making public pronouncements.

The Financial Gazette

By Financial Gazette Reporter

19 September 2013

AS he hits the ground, hopefully running, in his capacity as the new Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Lazarus Dokora has a key decision he needs to make and urgently.

Dokora will need to decide whether or not he uses the Educational Transitional Funds (ETF), which his party ZANU-PF previously called “illegal”.

Established in 2009, at the depth of the near collapse of the education system, with support from donations by several donor countries and organisations, the ETF, managed by the United Nations Children’s Fund, currently has US$160 million available for use by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

“Dokora needs to make a key decision as to whether or not this money is legal. ZANU–PF has called it illegal in the past,” said former minister of education sport, arts and culture, David Coltart.

“If he decides it is legal to use it, then he will use it, if he decides it’s not then I guess he won’t. At US$160 million the fund will give him a substantial amount to work with.”
The ETF has provided a major lifeline for the education sector since 2009.

The fund has been used for, among other projects, the textbook purchases which saw the textbook to pupil ratio improve to 1:1 from no textbooks at all in some schools; computerisation of the ministry head office, provincial and district offices and curriculum review.

At its most, the fund stood at over a billion dollars. Conditions of use for the fund are that it not be used for salaries but for text book purchases and printing, training and computerisation among others.

Commitments for funding by the donors have already been secured and the funds are good till to about a year.

“If he decides to use the fund, Dokora does not have any urgent need for other international funds,” Coltart said.

Efforts to reach Dokora yesterday were not fruitful.

Southern Eye

By Dumisani Nkomo

18 September 2013

WHEN President Robert Mugabe finally announced the much-awaited Cabinet, I did not know whether to laugh or to cry.

One can only sum the Cabinet as a mixture of tragedy and comedy because some of the characters and names of ministries evoke comic relief, while others are a sure sign of tragedy in the making.

If anything the Cabinet could pass for a glorified circus with tested and gifted clowns, some of whom presided over some spectacular failures in various areas.

I was intrigued by the addition of the Courier and Postal Services portfolio to the ministry of Information Communication Technology.

I am sure Webster Shamu may be more inclined to Postal and Courier Services compared to the more information technology-conscious Nelson Chamisa.

What will such a minister do on a day-to-day basis? Possibly he could supervise postmen and ensure that our national courier service companies deliver gifts, flowers and other urgent mail.

Simon Khaya Moyo has landed the very high post of Senior Minister Without Portfolio. As to whether he will be senior, there is no doubt, but his day-to-day job description leaves much to the imagination.

He joins the likes of late greats such as Joshua Nkomo and Eddison Zvobgo who were once ministers without portfolio.

To add to the stroke of humour and comic relief, we have the incredible Minister of State Responsible for Liasing On Psychomotor Activities in Education (Vocational Education). I am sure a lot of employees in that department will be fired for failing to remember the full name of that ministry. One is reminded of William Shakespeare who speaks of a “tale told by an idiot full of sound and fury signifying nothing” when one thinks of elaborate the name given to the ministry and the depth, or lack thereof, of the job description.

Saviour Kasukuwere is the new Water, Climate and Environment minister and there is a strong possibility that he will indigenise both the water and the climate.

Then there are two Agriculture deputy ministers, but the one which stole my attention and had me in peels of laughter is the Agriculture deputy minister responsible for livestock.

A whole person and a whole minister presiding over cattle and goats, how interesting! What a brilliant stroke of comic relief?

I am sure many Cabinet ministers privately chuckle at the names of some of the ministries. You then have the endless array of Ministers of State, some in the President’s Office, one in charge of Presidential Affairs (whatever that means) and others in the Vice-President’s Office .

The minister responsible for Presidential Affairs, Didymus Mutasa, was once known as a credible speaker of Parliament, but more recently has gained national, if not international fame, or is it notoriety? for leading a high-powered delegation on a comical trip to a n’anga to extract diesel from a rock.

I don’t know how a whole country, with whole ministers who think diesel can be extracted from a rock, could expect to prosper with individuals credited for their naïvety, ignorance and propensity for superstition.

Tragedy
On a more sober note, the marginalisation of women in the Cabinet is a cause for concern and a tragic reflection of embedded patriarchal attitudes which relegate women to traditional roles in the kitchen and or bedroom.

One would have expected tried-and-tested ministers such as Olivia Muchena, Sithembiso Nyoni and Flora Bhuka to be given more meaningful Cabinet posts instead of being reduced — in the case of Bhuka — to an extension of office furniture and fittings in the Vice-President’s office.

The new Constitution is clear that there should be gender and regional balance in the Cabinet thus making the suggestion that there are not enough experienced or qualified women in a country with 13 million people a monumental scandal!

Whereas the last Cabinet had the likes of Gorden Moyo, Welshman Ncube, Samuel Sipepa Nkomo and David Coltart, there is only one minister from Bulawayo in the Cabinet — Eunice Moyo (Provincial Affairs).

We can assume that others such as Simon Khaya Moyo, Obert Mpofu, Jonathan Moyo and Kembo Mohadi are not from Bulawayo since they did not contest in Bulawayo, but either in Matabeleland North or South.

Harare has Tendai Savanhu who was once accused of sponsoring the notorious Chipangano.

The reintroduction of Jonathan Moyo is a disaster for freedom of speech while the retention of the likes of Joseph Made (Agriculture) and Ignatius Chombo (Local Government) is an indication that there is no serious policy shift or drift.

The appointment of the moderate and shrewd Francis Nhema is one of the new positives in a Cabinet which is composed of largely “have beens” and a couple of “wannabes”. The creation of the Sport, Arts and Culture ministry is noble, but there are serious doubts about the credentials of the holder of the post Andrew Langa.

The appointment of ministers responsible or provincial affairs is a clear attempt at derailing and undermining the concept and practice of devolution of power as outlined in Chapter 14 of the Constitution.

The tragic reality though is that whether we like it or not, that is the Cabinet and the government we have.

We may have to live with this cabal for the next five years if there are no more reshuffles.

We may have to engage this Cabinet and bring it to account for its actions, whether or not it is a glorified circus presided over by experienced clowns or it is a demonstration of the theatre of the absurd.

Dumisani Nkomo is an activist and opinion leader

The Zimbabwean

By Arnold Tsunga

18 September 2013

A few pointers on why Zimbabwe is doomed with the new “old” Cabinet.

A casual glance at the record of some of the new “old” cabinet ministers with power positions in government will show that the country is going nowhere and that the 31 July 2013 national election failure has potential for national calamity of proportions that are too ghastly to contemplate.

Defence Ministry: Sydney Sekeramayi

He is also a career politician who can not do anything other than being in parliament and cabinet. He has worked with the intelligence services and is one of those responsible for converting the intelligence services from being a national institution into a para-military and para-intelligence force that terrorises its own citizens and limits the enjoyment of freedoms and human creativity. His repressive instinct seems to come out of deep ignorance and cluelessness on how to overcome the country’s challenges and advance the country to compete globally. He is one of those including Dydimus Mutasa who believed that diesel could come out of a rock in Chinhoyi!

Homes Affairs Ministry: Kembo Mohadi

Mohadi has a strange history. He was one of those that was terrorized by Mugabe when he was still with ZAPU. He was arbitrarily arrested and detained for months in 1985. He was severely tortured by Mugabe’s police and intelligence and bitterly complained of this then. Dave Coltart and the then Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (US) have an excellent record of this. Somehow Mohadi seemed to have taken this personal tragic experience to be a lesson on how to run and lead the police force and treat other innocent and unarmed people. He has presided as Minister of Home Affairs at a time when the police force has had one of its worst records in terms of human rights violations. Under his watch two departments of the police force have degenerated into para military forces, the Law and Order Section and the Police Internal Security Intelligence (PISI) These two sections have corroded public confidence in the police force. They have become an extension of the military wing of Zanu (PF). PISI operates as Zanu (PF)’s machine to profile opponents and set them up for attacks and persecution while the Law and Order Section operates to give PISI teeth by providing the boots and manpower to demolish enjoyment of fundamental rights, free expression, association and movement. Thousands and thousands of innocent human rights activists, democracy activists and legitimate political opponents have suffered and continue to suffer under Mohadi’s oversight of the police and home affairs. Thank to ZLHR the full effect of Mohadi’s failure to professionalise our police force has not been felt. One of the most unfortunate results of Mohadi’s lack of leadership to professionalise the police force has been the culture of selective application of repressive law by the authorities and resultant corruption and impunity.

Information Ministry: Jonathan Moyo

He was Minister primarily responsible for the demise of free press. He presided over the enactment of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA). Under his leadership, we had the highest number of journalists arbitrarily arrested and detained; wrongfully dismissed and administratively punished; denied the right to practice journalism. We had VOP bombed, printing press bombed, newspapers such as Daily News banned. Judge Majuru was hounded into exile for ruling in favour of the Daily News and judge Nare received death threats. Attorney General rep’s house was raided following granting of bail to foreign journalists. Andrew Meldrum was declared a PI. He spews hatred and propaganda and has no desire for the country to prosper.

Finance Minister: Patrick Chinamasa

He presided over a period that resulted in serious public loss of confidence in the judiciary and justice administration. He personally presided over the purging of the judiciary working with such people as Chinotimba (now parliamentarian) to harass judges including the then Chief Justice Gubbay at the Supreme Court. His lack of leadership on the rule of law front resulted in the country recording the highest number of resignations from the judiciary and justice system, including judges, magistrates, Attorney Generals, law officers, prosecutors and others. He eroded the independence of the judiciary in many ways including, threats, withdrawal of security, public utterances, lack of resources, underpaying as well as an opaque selection, appointment and disciplining process that created patronage. He also starved constitutional commissions of resources to make them functional and relevant to society e.g the Human Rights Commission or the Anti-Corruption Commission or the Zimbabwe Election Commission.

As Minister of Finance he presided over Zimbabwe’s economic collapse and fostered a culture of economic impunity. He presided over the printing of the Z$ into extinction and failed to control an errant Reserve Bank Governor. The country experienced the highest inflation ever globally. Industries closed, agriculture collapsed, unemployment was at its highest nationally since during and post colonialism, public services stopped such as schools, hospitals, clinics.

He has lost in every election except this one where he benefitted from opposition disorganization that resulted in him barely scrapping through even though the combined vote of Dr Makoni and Sangandire in Makoni Central exceeded his. He sings for his supper and owes his survival to Mugabe’s patronage system. That is why he barks the loudest against Western imaginery ghosts even as his new portfolio needs him to be smarter when dealing with the international community. Just around his appointment instead of taking advantage of the goodwill expressed by the EU ambassador to dialogue on matters of governance, he set up the machinery to summon the EU ambassador and worked in collaboration with Jonathan Moyo to mount a serious attack on the EU at a time he should have been planning on an engagement strategy.

Local Government:

Ignatius Chombo

He has presided over the worst performance of service delivery by local authorities in the history of the country. He has taken it upon himself to disagree with the peoples choices for Mayors and councilors and wrongfully and unlawfully fired many mayors and councilors in order to instill fear in councilors, employ his own under the guise of special appointments. Mayors Mudzuri (Harare) and Brian James (Mutare) are a good examples. He is also believed to have corrupted many councilors. His divorce papers showed that his wealth is not commensurate with his income as he has many assets including immovable property in virtually every local government. His expansive personal wealth can only be explained on the basis of corrupt practices. As a result of poor services delivery, Zimbabwe experienced a cholera and other water borne diseases epidemic threatening the security of the rest of the SADC region. This may happen again. Many places in urban areas including Dangamvura-Chikanga have had no water since election results were announced. The confidence in the recovery of local governments has all but disappeared with this appointment which inspires absolutely no confidence at all. Chombo continues to use the Town Clerks and Council management to undermine elected councils and introduces a culture of impunity and lack of accountability at the local level. It is difficult to imagine how different revival plans for city’s under the MDC councils will be implemented when Chombo will use every opportunity to introduce disharmony between elected councils and council management if only to achieve political mileage for ZANU PF ahead of the next elections.

Transport Ministry:

Obert Mpofu

Believed to be easily one of the richest people even though demonstrably also one of the most underpaid. His wealth is believed to have come out of corrupt practices. He presided over the illicit trade in diamonds and other special minerals. Circumvented the fiscus in minerals revenue. Fostered the culture of economic impunity that currently pervades a section of society, the economic and political elite. Now we might as well kiss goodbye to the improvements of our roads and other transport infrastructure as his personal appetite for resources will compete with the national priorities.

Agriculture Ministry:

Joseph Made

He presided over the decline of Zimbabwe from being the bread basket of Africa into a basket case of Africa. He presided over a period of the worst national performance in agriculture pre, during and post colonialism. He personally designed and implemented a policy of expropriation of assets of disliked people without compensation. He manipulated a genuine grievance on land inequalities to convert it into political fodder to maintain ZANU PF in power and used people like Chinotimba, now his parliamentary partner to terrorise unarmed civilians and implement a racist policy and drive thousands of farmers and farm workers into abject poverty and homelessness that was aggravated by the operation murambatsvina (drive away the filth). He was believed to have stopped chickens imports from RSA and made the country to import from Brazil where he had financial deals. He is dangerous to the recovery of our agriculture.

Justice and Legal Affairs Ministry: Emmerson Mnangagwa

His claim to fame is shrewdness, ruthlessness and absence of mercy. He superintended over the genocide that took place in Matabeleland and Midlands in the early 1980s just after independence. The perpetrators are known. The victims are known. The perpetrators including him as bearing responsibility for such genocide roam the streets free. He is the ultimate epitome of national impunity for serious human rights violations. He seems to be going to stop at nothing to become the national president with such a horrific culture on governance, human rights and the rule of law. He is a dodgy character who is very secretive and with such an impunity driven background will not benefit from strengthening of the rule of law and institutions that are necessary for independent and impartial administration of justice and the law as well as to fully implement the principle of equality before the law.

Conclusion

It is clear therefore that this cabinet will not perform unless a miracle happens or there is a serious paradigm shift. It is a cabinet that has demonstrably presided over Zimbabwe’s spectacular collapse from being a leading nation in Africa into a laughing stock globally. It is a leadership that is generally corrupt and does not believe in strong systems and institutions. They believe in strong men. This creates a culture that is fertile for perpetuation of a corrupt system of government, where there is no good governance and no respect for human dignity and human rights. It’s a typically immediate-post-colonial frame of mind cabinet where the focus is historical and not the future of this country in the context of a changed and changing world.

News Day

By Victoria Mtomba

17 September 2013

Zimbabwe’s 13 universities annually churn out an average of 10 000 graduates a year.

But most of them have failed to secure employment due to the declining job opportunities in the formal job market, a situation that has constantly recurred over the past 10 years.

A snap survey by NewsDay, based on average enrolment figures for individual institutions, indicated that the combined total of last year’s graduates is pegged at nearly 10 000.

University of Zimbabwe and Midlands State University topped the list with 2 700 and 2 338 respectively.

The National University of Science and Technology had 1 450, Chinhoyi University of Technology 674, Bindura University 673, Women University of Africa 500 and Lupane 131 graduates.

The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstats) has no official statistics on jobless graduates, but has a compiled list of enrolment details.

Lack of opportunities to secure employment in the formal economy has forced most of them to resort to the informal trade, analysts say.

University of Zimbabwe’s business school Professor Tony Hawkins is on record as having said that Zimbabwe’s informal sector was playing a crucial role in reducing poverty and unemployment.

Many unemployed graduates say their qualifications are tailor-made for formal employment, but employment opportunities are just too few.

Zimbabwe’s curriculum was designed to train employees rather than employers or entrepreneurs, according to the Nziramasanga Commission.

Government set up the commission in 1999 to evaluate Zimbabwe’s educational requirements and observed that the national curriculum was inclined towards academics.

It recommended the introduction of vocational skills training in secondary schools.

This was done after realising that there was need to prioritise vocational skills as there were many pupils who were not academically gifted.

Educationists contend that following independence in 1980, government adopted a system designed to train pupils to be employees and this has, in the last decade, become irrelevant due to diminishing employment opportunities.

Twenty-five-year old Sharon Vengesai (not her real name) is a victim of this change.

After graduating with a Sociology, Gender and Development Studies degree from a local university in 2011, she has not been able to secure employment in line with her qualifications.

She finally had to settle for selling blankets and electronic gadgets at the Gulf Complex in Harare.

There were no jobs that suited her qualifications which she says are more in line with formal employment.

“With the type of our economy, I don’t think the education being offered by colleges is relevant because people are not doing jobs that they trained for.

For instance, I did Gender and Development Studies, but I am now a sales floor person. The curriculum of this country trains us to be employees instead of creating our own employment,” she said.

The country’s increasing informal economy has made formal “bookish” education irrelevant, according to observers pushing for a curriculum change. This is unlike the 1980s and early 1990s when almost all graduates were automatically absorbed into the formal job market.

Sharon, who earns $300 per month, works for a West African national. These foreigners now dominate Zimbabwe’s retail sector, offering employment to degreed locals.

“I decided to take the job so that I would not be idle at home,” she said.

Zimstats show that there was a total enrolment figure of 60 143 students in 2012 in the country’s 13 universities.

Former Education minister David Coltart said his attempts to reform the outdated curriculum were frustrated as his proposals for the wholesale adoption of the Nziramasanga recommendations found no takers.

“It was one of my frustrations. Although I wanted to make reforms, I faced obstacles. The curriculum is outdated as it is from 1986. With this informationa and communication technology environment, it is hopeless,” he said.

An educationist Francis Mashayamombe said: “Our problem as a nation is inertia and unwillingness to implement things,” he said.

Although it is now 14 years since the Commission put forward its recommendations, they are still valid in the context of the entrepreneurial drive that government is pushing for. In this drive, students are encouraged to aim to be employers rather than becoming employees.

Coltart said the new government should priorities a new curriculum if it is to curb joblessness. There is, however, a glimmer of hope, after government in February this year resolved to push for the requisite change.

A five-member team of senior consultants has already been commissioned to spearhead review in line with Nziramasanga recommendations, Coltart said.

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union president George Nkiwane said it was imperative for the inclusion of industrialists in crafting a relevant curriculum that will help students have their creative skills aligned to industry requirements.

“As long as the industrialists are not involved in the curriculum, we will continue to churn out graduates that are not relevant to the industries. Industrialists and officials from the education sector should sit down and come up with a curriculum that is relevant to the current job market demands,” he said.

This, he said, could be done through engagement with human resources experts in industry and curriculum developers and compare notes on what works best for the country.

After realising the need to provide jobs and create equal economic opportunities, the government early this year launched the Government Graduate Entrepreneurial and Employment Promotion Programme.

The programme will provide youths with entrepreneurial skills and on-the-job skills. The programmes earmarked for the projects include potato production, horticulture, livestock and cattle fattening projects value added agricultural projects.

Daily News

By Bridget Mananavire 

15 September 2013

HARARE - President Robert Mugabe’s appointment of 10 provincial ministers has come under fire with critics saying he is subverting the Constitution by bringing in provincial governors disguised as ministers.

Provincial governors were scrapped and replaced with elected chairpersons under a deal reached by President Robert Mugabe and his coalition partners during the inclusive government era.

The new Constitution stipulates that the provincial chairperson will come from the party with majority seats in that particular province and the chairperson must be elected by the provincial council.

But Mugabe, during his Cabinet announcement, named 10 ministers of State for the 10 Zimbabwean provinces, in what the MDC has slammed as the subversion of the new Constitution.

Mugabe named Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo as the minister of State for Bulawayo, Miriam Chikukwa for Harare, retained Christopher Mushowe in Manicaland, in Manicaland Central appointed Martin Dinha, in Mashonaland East Simbaneuta Mudarikwa, in Mashonaland West Faber Chidarikire, in Masvingo Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, in Matebeleland North Cain Mathema, in Matabeleland South Abednigo Ncube and in Midlands he appointed Jason Machaya to be minister of State for the province.

The national executive and the national council of Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC met in Harare on Friday and unanimously resolved  to resist Mugabe’s alleged attempt to circumvent and defeat the constitutionally well spelt-out principle of devolution of power to the provinces.

“The MDC has noticed that this subversion of the constitution is going to be a key feature of Mugabe’s presidency,” MDC spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora said. “To that end, the party resolved to fight by all means necessary all the attempts by Mugabe and Zanu PF to subvert the people’s Constitution.”

The smaller MDC led by Welshman Ncube was also taken aback by the appointment of provincial ministers of State by Mugabe.

David Coltart, the MDC  legal affairs secretary, said the appointment of 10 ministers of State for provincial affairs scuttles all hopes for devolution envisaged under the new Constitution.

He said it will cause duplication of roles as the lines would be blurred on who exactly “would be in charge of provinces, considering that there will be provincial councils”.

Lovemore Madhuku, a constitutional law expert, said all this is a consequence of the adoption of a bad Constitution. Madhuku, whose National Constitutional Assembly campaigned for a No vote in the constitutional referendum and lost, said the new charter was vague and gave Mugabe wide discretionary powers.

“Under Mugabe, the constitution will mean anything he wants it to mean,” Madhuku said.

“This Constitution is unclear, gives Mugabe a lot of powers.

“And with this whole appointment of ministers of State in the provinces,  there is no law stopping Mugabe from appointing any number of ministers.

“Clashing of duties between the provincial chairs and these ministers is another thing.”

Trevor Maisiri, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, devolution was facing a real and present danger.

“The appointment of ministers of State for provincial affairs has dashed hopes of decentralising power,” he said.

“Those provincial ministers will report directly to the President, hence their interaction with provincial councils or mayors of respective areas will be superficial. They will override every programme set to be taken in their respective provinces.”

Southern Eye

By Ronald Moyo

13 September 2013

VARIOUS national sports associations have welcomed the move for a separate sport ministry following the appointment of Andrew Langa as the Sport, Arts and Culture minister.

Previously sport fell under the Education, Sport, Arts and Culture ministry, headed by David Coltart. Ringisai Mapondera, the Zimbabwe Volleyball Association secretary-general told Southern Eye Sport that the ministry came when sport associations needed it most.

“We are very excited about the latest developments and we do hope that the incoming minister of sport will deal with the problems that national teams are facing.

“We now expect to see national teams getting financial support from the government, you can even ask the cricket team on how they are struggling to get their salaries just because the government does not support sport, but now that we have our own ministry, we are hoping for the best,” Mapondera said.

Mapondera pointed out that the men and women’s volleyball teams are preparing for next month’s Zonal World Cup qualifiers in Botswana and Zambia respectively and the association is in dire need of financial support.

Petros Masiyambumbi, the Zimbabwe Amateur Boxing Association technical director echoed the same sentiments.

“Sport will improve in the country because in the past, it has had no budget from the government; the Budget was only for education which hindered the operations of sport associations.

“We expect that very soon the ministry will ask for the budgets from associations, something that never happened before, something we needed most,” he said.

Leticia Chipanda, the Zimbabwe Netball Association spokesperson added: “We are happy about the ministry. We hope that the ministry will solve the problems the sport associations have been facing.”

Bulawayo Athletics Board chairperson Manuel Mpofu also praised the move.

“I think this is a blessing to all sport associations. We are now expecting a positive response to our problems from the ministry” he said.

Southern Eye

By Nduduzo Tshuma

13 September 2013

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe’s failure to appoint a minister in charge of State Security has raised speculation that he wants full control of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), with legal experts saying the Zanu PF leader was in breach of the Constitution.

The Security ministry has for long been regarded as key and Mugabe’s takeover implies that he personally wanted to direct operations there.

Bulawayo lawyer Matshobana Ncube said the Constitution made provisions that the President must appoint a minister in charge of the country’s intelligence services.

“The term ‘must’ in the legal language is a peremptory term that the President should appoint a minister responsible for any national intelligence services,” he said.

“The absence of that particular ministry is a violation of the Constitution.

“The absence of the ministry in charge of intelligence services means there is something amiss, as the intelligence service will not be accountable to anyone.

“There is a need for a ministry with a clearly spelt out portfolio that looks at the intelligence services.”

The ministry, which some see as part of the Zanu PF succession matrix, was previously under Sydney Sekeramayi.

By taking reins of the ministry, many speculate that Mugabe wants to influence succession politics in his party.

MDC secretary for legal affairs David Coltart said the absence of a State Security ministry was an area of concern in addition to the gender imbalance and provincial ministers of State.

“Unlike in the past, the Constitution now states that the President must appoint a minister responsible for State security,” he said.

“It raises a lot of interest why a State Security minister was not appointed. The Constitution spells out that the head of the intelligence services needs to be transparent and accountable and should not be biased towards any political party.”

Senior analyst in the Southern Africa International Crisis Group, Trevor Maisiri, said Mugabe wanted to consolidate the loyalty of the State intelligence services under him as an individual.

“Contrary to claims by some that Mugabe will leave office after elections, the appointments indicate that he wants to rule for the full five years of his term,” he said.

“He wants the State security services to be accountable to him as an individual.

“The shuffling of Cabinet posts also shows that Mugabe does not want either of the warring factions to get any advantage.

“The Defence, Finance and Mines ministries have been given to Mugabe loyalists.”

The political analyst said Mugabe needed the intelligence’s loyalty, particularly to gather information on what is happening within Zanu PF, the country and abroad so as to maintain his position.

“It is a critical issue to control the CIO,” he said.

“He defies the Constitution because it makes provisions that the President has to appoint an Intelligence Services minister, who will be accountable to the State,” Maisiri said.

No comment could be obtained from Mugabe’s spokesperson, George Charamba, as his mobile phone was unreachable.