April 29 - May 6, 2015

1) Politicization of food relief

Independent Media

NewsDay, April 30, 2015
“NGO slams Zanu PF’s continued politicization of food relief” by Veneranda Langa

• While provinces like Matabeleland South are facing starvation, food distribution is still being done on a partisan basis says the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP).
• The World food program has recently stated that 565,000 people in Zimbabwe face starvation.
• Food distribution on partisan lines is in violation of the Zimbabwean constitution, ZPP has claimed.
• The NGO listed eight food distribution violations for the month of March. MDC-T MPs have questioned Agriculture minister Joseph Made over the politicization of food distribution. Made said any evidence of violations should be reported.

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

2) May Day

Independent Media

New Zimbabwe, April 30, 2015
“Workers reduced to beggars and refugees, MDC Renewal”

• The MDC Renewal leader, Sekai Holland has claimed that Robert Mugabe’s actions have reduced the working class of Zimbabwe to “beggars and vendors while millions of others have been forced to seek economic refuge in other countries.”
• Holland also commented on food security issues, saying that in Zimbabwe, many did not know where their next meal would come from.
• A Zanu PF promise of two million new jobs has failed to materialize in a country with 80% unemployment.
• The economy is in a tailspin as hundreds of companies close and lay off workers.

State-controlled Media

The Herald, May 2, 2015
“Workers blast Tsvangirai” by Farirai Machivenyika

• MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai was heavily criticized by workers who attended Workers’ Day commemorations on May 1. The event was organized by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU).
• As former secretary of the ZCTU, Tsvangirai was given an opportunity to speak. It is reported that once Tsvangirai began announcing his party’s demands, workers became frustrated with him.
• Workers told The Herald that when Tsvangirai began speaking about fair elections, it was frustrating that he was not talking about their daily needs. One worker ostensibly said that Tsvangirai should not be invited to speak next year because he “has abandoned the workers’ cause.”

3) SADC summit in Harare

Independent Media

NewsDay, April 30, 2015
“Sadc grills Mugabe” by Moses Matenga and Obey Manayiti

• Robert Mugabe has described Zimbabweans residing abroad as thieves in reference to recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
• President Ian Khama of Botswana told Mugabe that Zimbabweans were fleeing the country to South Africa and Botswana because of his misrule.
• Mugabe said that Zimbabweans were not “pushed” out of the country, but were leaving on their own accord. Mugabe, chair of the AU and SADC said that he was briefed by colleagues who confirmed that most Zimbabweans going to South Africa were criminals. He said that the inhabitants of Matabeleland South were not educated enough to find jobs and implied that they turned to crime. Jacob Zuma claimed that there are around 4,000 Zimbabweans in South African prisons.

The Independent, May 1, 2015
“Zuma, Khama corner Mugabe” by Hazel Ndebele and Elias Mambo

• Botswana President Ian Khama and South African President Jacob Zuma said that instead of blaming neighbouring states for xenophobic attacks, the countries should focus on rebuilding broken economies. This was a solution to curb the immigration “problem” in southern Africa.
• Although the nations of the SADC were gathered in Harare to discuss economic development, discussions about the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa took centre stage.
• After discussing economic development for two hours, Zuma launched into a presentation concerning the attacks.  He spoke about a variety of measures South Africa was taking to curb the violence. But Zuma posited that it was also the responsibility of other countries to come up with solutions to the violence.
• Zuma and Mugabe subsequently got into a quarrel regard a video circulating online that ostensibly shows a xenophobic attack. The images, Zuma claims, are actually from violence in the 1980s.
• Ian Khama joined in the discussion and supported Zuma. Khama said the root causes of the violence needed to be addressed. Khama asserted that these sources were bad leadership and economic mismanagement.
• Khama quickly exited the meeting after indirectly hinting at Mugabe’s misrule of Zimbabwe being part of the problem.

State-controlled media

The Sunday Mail, May 3, 2015
“Sadc opens talks on forming regional bank”

• The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) has begun discussing the establishment of a regional bank. Southern Africa’s Industrialization Strategy, adopted at the recent SADC meeting in Harare calls for such action.
• Regional leaders are brainstorming on how to get funds to ‘kick-start” the endeavour. Minister Gideon Dlamini of Swaziland said that states would need to place a deposit to begin involvement in such a bank. The (potential) bank will be a source of development capital for regional states.

4) Mliswa’s workers beaten

Independent Media

NewsDay, May 4, 2015
“Mliswa’s workers hospitalised after Zanu PF youths attack” by Obey Manayiti and Nunurai Jena

• Independent Candidate running for the Hurungwe West legislative seat, Temba Mliswa, claimed that four employees from his farm have been hospitalized. This happened as a result of assaults by Zanu PF youth who invaded his farm.
• Mliswa claimed that he reported the incident to the local police station, but none of the suspects were arrested.
• Mliswa commented that the attacks were worse than anything suffered by innocents under the regime of Ian Smith. 
• Seven of Mliswa’s cattle were also reported missing.

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