Zimbabwe Weekly update Week ending Tuesday 20 April 2010

Posted by ZDN on April 20, 2010

Politics Zimbabwe marked its 30th anniversary of Independence this week on Sunday 18 April. For the first time, parties other than Zanu-PF were involved in the celebrations. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was cheered each time his image appeared on the live video monitor at the national stadium. The Chinese embassy in Harare made a significant financial contribution to the celebrations...

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Zimbabwe Weekly Update – week ending 12 April 2010

Posted by ZDN on April 13, 2010

Politics A consolidated report by the three principal parties in the GPA has been forwarded to South African President Jacob Zuma. The parties failed to agree on all outstanding issues and now await SADC's recommendations. It will be viewed by President Zuma before being forwarded  to Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, the SADC chairman on defence politics and security. MDC spokespe...

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Zimbabwe Weekly Update – week ending 5 April 2010

Posted by ZDN on April 6, 2010

Politics President Jacob Zuma has both visited and sent negotiating delegations to Zimbabwe over the last few weeks, but the South African leader is being tested by Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party: reported agreements reached on implementation of the GPA were rebutted by Mugabe as soon as the South Africans went home.  The coalition partners failed to meet the March 31 deadline set by Pre...

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Torture camps reemerge

Posted by Nxwala on March 14, 2010

Signs are slowly showing that Zanu-PF is starting to prepare for the elections, which many strongly believe will be next year. Torture camps are cropping up, which is a clear indication that Mugabe will call for elections soon, if not next year. The militia and the war veterans are the backbone that has made Zanu-PF win the elections since 2000. Most of the militia camps were disbanded after the r...

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Zimbabwe Weekly Update – week ending 8 March 2010

Posted by ZDN on March 9, 2010

Politics The MDC on Sunday said it was seeking SADC intervention to help resolve outstanding issues in the Global Political Agreement (GPA). The decision will be passed to the party's national council, due to meet in Harare on March 12. In a government gazette issued on Friday, President Robert Mugabe reassigned powers from the Ministry of Information and Technology and the Ministry of ...

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Zimbabwe Weekly Update – week ending 1 March 2010

Posted by ZDN on March 2, 2010

Politics The MDC is demanding drastic action against Zanu-PF youths who last week threatened Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for not calling for the removal of targeted sanctions. The youths were marching in the capital on Wednesday in protest against the sanctions. They also detained a freelance photojournalist Andrison Manyere for filming the demonstration, but he was later released. ...

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Zimbabwe Weekly Update – week ending 15 Feb 2010

Posted by ZDN on February 16, 2010

Politics Jonathan Moyo was passed over for promotion to the new Zanu-PF Politburo lineup. The spin-doctor was hoping to become either information secretary or to head the party’s commissariat. The central committee was reportedly wary of trusting political chameleon Moyo enough to be part of the party’s inner circle. The EU has decided to extend targeted sanctions until 2011 against ...

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Zimbabwe Weekly Update – week ending 8 Feb 2010

Posted by ZDN on February 9, 2010

Politics The three principals in the unity government reached a small breakthrough on Friday when they agreed to appoint the chairs of two of the Commissions - the Electoral and the Human Rights – who were named as Justice Simpson Mtambanengwe and Professor Reg Austin respectively. The South African mediation team is expected to meet negotiators from the thr...

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Mugabe’s control of the armed forces makes Zanu PF invincible – Or does it?

Posted by ZDN on December 9, 2009

Zimbabwe Exiles’ Forum In an article published on the Zimbabwejournalists.com website on 24 December 2007, the author, Freeman Forward Chari, posed the following question: “In a country of nearly 200 000 military people…..  whose public sector is run by the military, where does the common man fit in?  Is there a possibility of civil participation in the country?” Chari breaks do...

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Zimbabwe Weekly Update – week ending 24 Nov 2009

Posted by ZDN on November 25, 2009

Politics Zanu-PF pre-Congress provincial nominations reveal a widening rift within the party.  Vice-president Joice Mujuru has been nominated to retain her position, representing a defeat for the man even insiders call 'the cruellest one' - Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa. John Nkomo is set to become the second vice-president, replacing the late Joseph Msika. Nkomo's vacated post of Zanu...

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