2-11 April 2016

1. Politics and human rights

Independent Media

ZPP condemns Kwekwe ‘Al Shabaab’ violence, April 6, 2016,  The Zimbabwean

• Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) named “Al Shabaab a  terror group  that emerged In the midlands in Kwekwe during the last weekend.
• This group has been operating openly in the province for over a month and committed several attacks on Zanu-PF members

Zimbabweans Want Perpetrators of Political Violence to Apologize, April 2, 2016, Voice of America

• The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission or NPRC has been accused of being powerless against the overwhelming number of abuses committed in Zimbabwe for political reasons
• HealZimbabwe, a non-governmental focusing on victims of political violence, says the commission is essentially a pro-government tool

Reading branch of Zimbabwe human rights group denounce regime in demonstration, April 7, 2016, Get reading

• Several human rights campaigners were spotted on Broad Street in Harare, many of which were victims of political repression in Zimbabwe
• The group distributed various leaflets denouncing the regime, obscene poverty of the countryside and calling for massive action against the current government. 

Chihuri Slammed For Failure To Probe Electoral Violence Cases, April 11, 2016, Voice of the People

• Electoral Act, a poll watchdog, said Commissioner-General of Police, Augustine Chihuri, was ‘sleeping on duty’
• Election Resource Centre (ERC) said it was his responsibility to enforce Section 133J of the Electoral Act

MPs threatened auditors with violence, April 6, 2016, Zimbabwe Daily

• Mrs Virginia Mabhiza, Justine Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Secretary, said she was now scared for her life after auditing the Constituency Development Fund
• She said intimidations against her and her colleagues were to blamed for the fact at least 53 constituencies were not audited
• Speaking at the Parliamentary portfolio committee on Public Accounts, Mrs Mabhiza demanded security insurances before going into specific names : “Honourable chairperson, I also need protection as it is not easy to disclose some of the occurrences that we came across. I am also scared at times to reveal some of the information that we came across,” said Mrs Mabhiza.

2. Economy

Privately-owned media

Zimbabwe diamond field seizure raises concerns, April 15, 2016, BDlive.co.za

• industry analyst Paul Zimnisky says seizing the deposits in Marange, Zimbabwe’s biggest diamond, has cost the economy of Zimbabwe
• According to Ontario-based Partnership Africa Canada, the takeover of the diamond industry effectively started in 2006 and served to transfer funds to the military behind closed doors
• According to Human Rights Watch, Zimbabwean soldiers were seen smuggling the precious gems across the border with Mozambique in 2010.

State-Owned Media

To be Born Again or to face expulsion: President, April 9, 2016, The Herald

• President Robert Mugabe said senior Zanu-PF members had been encouraging dissent among the ranks of the ruling party and that those who did not comply should be expelled.
• President Mugabe said this infighting was encouraging the opposition to criticizes state projects such as Zim-Asset, a government emergency program aimed at providing vital food aid for the winter.
• MDC-T youth run amok, April 15, 2016, The Chronicle
• A gang of MDC-T supporters assaulted a supermarket security guard after address by party leader Morgan Tsvangirai called for the removal of President Robert Mugabe
• This is one of the many cases of assaults reported by a crowd of MDC-T youth unleashing chaos in Harare. Several vendors said they had been victim of robbery.