March 4-11, 2015

Zanu PF factionalism, Constitutional reform and Mugabe’s salary

Independent media

Daily News, March 7, 2015

“Opponents savage Mugabe over salary” by Lloyd Mbiba

• The opposition has claimed that Robert Mugabe has demonstrated that he is out of touch with reality and should step down. Mugabe has revealed that he earns $12 000 per month.
• Mugabe has demanded that this amount be increased to match the salaries of other world leaders.
• The sum given as Mugabe’s salary does not include presidential “perks” extended to his family. This amount is ostensibly in the range of millions of dollars.
• MDC spokesperson, Obert Gutu has said that this amount of money was “grotesque” in consideration of the fact that many Zimbabweans live on less than $1 per day. A Zapu spokesperson claimed that by earning $12 000, Mugabe was being inconsiderate and insensitive.

State-owned media

The Sunday Mail, March 8, 2015

“Major changes to Constitution coming” by Tinashe Farawo

• The Government is planning major changes to the Constitution of 2013. The central reason given is that there is a bloated public payroll that consumes “90 percent of the annual budget.”
• Sections of the Constitution which will not be tabled for debate are those concerning Zimbabwe’s values and the rights of citizens.
• In an effort to cut consumption of the public payroll, the government will be looking at cutting the size and number of statutory commissions and the legislature.
• Economic Development minister Patrick Chinamasa has said that the number of legislators in Zimbabwe is disproportionate to the Country’s population.
• Chinamasa also pointed out that Zimbabwe must have institutions that it can support financially to maintain its status as a sovereign state.

The Sunday Mail, March 8, 2015

“Didymus Mutasa probe complete” by Itai Mazire

• Manicaland provincial leadership has concluded its investigation into Didymus Mutasa’s land deals. It is alleged that Mutasa gave land to evicted white farmers.
• The infractions come from the period in which Mutasa served as minister for National Security, Lands, Land Reform and Resettlement.
• Mutasa is also alleged to have given farms to his mistresses, according to the probe.
• Robert Mugabe recently made clear that land reforms would continue. The government seeks to insure that disadvantaged black citizens enjoy the benefits of the country’s natural resources.

The Sunday Mail, March 8, 2015

“It’s not a witch-hunt: Kasukuwere”

• Saviour Kasukuwere, national Political Commissar, has indicated that ongoing “party restructuring” is in accordance with the constitution and is not a “witch-hunt.”
• Kasukuwere further indicated that the Zanu PF would not condone the victimization of anyone and that restructuring would strengthen the Zanu PF.
  
• Kasukuwere said that the elimination of positions in the Zanu PF was not tantamount to purging members of the party.

Tsvangirai making popular gains but fighting in parliament

Independent Media

Daily News, March 8, 2015

“Tsvangirai stages huge Harare rally” by Lloyd Mbiba

• Thousands of people attended a rally held by MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai at Zimbabwe Grounds in Harare. Tsvangirai demanded that Robert Mugabe step down as his wife Grace appears to have usurped power from him.
• MDC national executive member, Job Sikhala said that people had turned up to support him because they are hungry and suffering; Sikhala also said that many families are surviving on a dollar per week.
• Sikhala said that people were ready to take to the streets peacefully as they did during the American Civil Rights movement.
  
• Tsvangirai said that things in Zimbabwe had worsened since the 2013 elections. Economic and social conditions of Zimbabwe have deteriorated over the past year.
• Tsvangirai said that he would liberate Zimbabweans from the “evil rule of the Zanu PF.”

The Zimbabwean, March 8, 2015

“Declare unemployment crisis a national disaster – Tsvangirai” by Brenna Matendere

• There is an urgent need to declare the unemployment crisis in Zimbabwe a national disaster so that the state can take formal intervention measures, said Morgan Tsvangirai.
• Tsvangirai noted that many youths loitering in the street should be at work, but jobs for them are simply non-existent. Tsvangirai was touring Gweru and was quite dismayed at the lack of economic development. Many are turning to street-vending to survive.
• In 2013, ZCTU said that about 300 companies were closing weekly, forcing many to take up employment in the informal sector.

State-controlled Media

The Herald, March 9, 2015

“21 MDC-T MPs face the boot” by ‘Mugabe Senior Reporter’

• The MDC-T has allegedly asked the Speaker of the National Assembly and Senate President to recall 21 members of its party. The MDC-T has made this request because it alleges that the members now belong to the United Movement for Democratic Change, an entirely new party.
  
• Facing recall are 14 National Assembly Members, four senators and three Members of Parliament elected on the proportional representation ticket.
  
• The breakaway party is led by former secretary general Tendai Biti and deputy treasurer Elton Mangoma. The MDC-T split may give the Zanu PF an advantage at election time. 

The Herald, March 10, 2015

“Tsvangirai, Biti fight over MPs” by Tendai Mugabe

• MDC-T secretary general Douglas Mwonzora has written a letter to the National Assembly speaker Ednah Madzongwe, in which Mwonzora seeks the recall of 21 MPs. The MPs are allegedly part of the United Movement for Democratic Change, a faction of the MDC.
• MDC Renewal leader Tendai Biti has voiced his disdain over the move. Biti said that Morgan Tsvangirai could not recall the MPs because he was legally expelled from the MDC-T.
  
• Biti claims that Tsvangirai and his ‘faction’ are in cahoots with the Zanu PF – because having the 21 MPs removed from parliament would be tantamount to giving the vacant seats to the Zanu PF.

Human rights abuses

Independent Media

The Zimbabwean, March 4, 2015

“The purge continues”

• The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) has documented that most human rights abuses recorded as recently as January, 2015, were related to the distribution of agricultural and food inputs.
  
• The right to food and education is frequently denied on the basis of political orientation, reports the ZPP. An incident took place in which a well-known MDC member was not given fertilizer. The distributor said the fertilizer was for Zanu PF members only.
  
• Threats of violence based on political affiliation were also a common occurrence. Zanu PF members and war veterans have been documented harassing supporters of former Vice President Joice Mujuru.
  
• ZPP recorded 155 human rights abuses in January alone. In many instances, a trend of increasing violence toward Mujuru supporters has been noted. Zanu PF members are the main perpetrators of violent human rights abuses but there were 13 instances of MDC-T members’ aggressiveness.

*State-controlled media did not report on this issue.