The meaning of Zuma in Xhosa is “To sneak around at night with bad intent,” but President Jacob Zuma is a Zulu so we don’t know whether this meaning applies or not, nor indeed whether he is sneaking around Zimbabwe’s darkest hour with bad intent.
His middle name, Gedleyihlekisa, is apparently a shortened form of the Zulu sentence “ngeke ngithule umuntu engigedla engihlekisa” , meaning, I won’t keep quiet when someone deceives me with a beautiful smile while he is doing damage to me! Very pregnant with meaning.
What we do know, however is that President Zuma took over the SADC facilitation of the Zimbabwean negotiations from Thabo Mbeki, whom history has now adjudged was sneaking around with bad intentions towards Zimbabweans who had rejected Robert Mugabe in the 2008 election.
Now President Zuma’s term is almost over, but he has got nothing to show for his mission, except for three SADC resolutions which laid the blame for the failure to move forward squarely on Zanu (PF)‘s door, followed by one which defined a road-map to elections, and another which called for monitors to be deployed in Zimbabwe to give some teeth to the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee.
This was more than six months ago, but no monitors are in place and it is becoming clear to Zimbabweans that President Zuma is constrained or not willing to take the next logical steps after confirming that Zanu (PF) is indeed being intransigent.
Or that he does not consider it an urgent issue as we Zimbabweans do. So we are becoming impatient, especially as Zanu (PF) seems to be consolidating some kind of military dictatorship.
Zanu (PF) is considering that as long as it is in the Inclusive Government with some MDC MPs who are also happy to blame their failure to bring about change on Zanu (PF)’s intransigence, then they will just continue their deceitful dance until the cows come home.
Even if they are not happy to be in the deceitful dance, Zanu (PF) is forcing them by simply refusing to implement what has been agreed in negotiations and what has been resolved by SADC Heads of States when the negotiations failed to produce compromise.
And the JOMIC just continues doing a little dance every time a critical statement is made, but is happy to go back to their complacency as soon as the critical voices die down. They are, in fact, doing nothing and now have the added excuse that they are waiting for the SADC monitors.
Having agreed to SADC mediation, the parties to the arbitration, Zanu (PF) and the MDC, and another MDC thrown into the mix by Thabo Mbeki, should be bound by the resolutions, but there was a weakness in the SADC resolutions – no enforcement mechanism.
And in the absence of enforcement mechanisms Zimbabweans had expected that President Zuma would increase diplomatic pressure on Zanu (PF) by making a clear and categorical statement to the African Union in Summit, that Zanu (PF) has refused to abide by the resolutions.
Or, if President Zuma did not want to be seen to be taking sides, he could simply have made a diplomatic statement to the effect that the negotiations had failed, and the AU which gave him that task would then consider what to do next.
But the AU summit has come and gone, without even a report from Zuma on his mission, which is making Zimbabweans even more sceptical about his efforts, and asking whether President Zuma is sneaking around the Zimbabwean night with bad intent, or whether they should keep quiet while he is deceiving them with beautiful statements from facilitator Lindiwe Zulu while he is actually giving Zanu (PF) an opportunity to consolidate its illegal rule.
The MDC is also in the Catch 22 situation that if it pulls out of the government, then Zanu (PF) will be only too happy to get the majority which it could not achieve through the ballot box and a chance to rule alone and go back it is corrupt old ways, with no scrutiny from the MDC.
The international community which had put its faith in the African Union and SADC must feel let down by the AU and the SADC, because without their support they cannot even dare to bring the Zimbabwean issue to the UN.
The same shameful intransigence that Russia and China have shown in protecting Syrian dictator Assad would be brought into action. Assad’s killing of his people is only different from Zanu (PF)s in scale, but so far we have not heard the international community’s comment on the AU or SADC, not even a low-level diplomatic statement of disappointment.
Some analysts even go as far as saying the international community has stopped looking to the African Union and SADC for anything because they are just clubs of dictators protecting each other.
But the ones who are suffering are the Zimbabwean people, now with a typhoid out-break – a disease which should never be seen in a country like Zimbabwe where people know about hygiene and sanitation.
The country is now affected because the authorities cannot cope with simple provision of clean drinking, washing water, and running water for the toilets, in the capital city. Containing such diseases in the named high density areas is impossible because this is where the workers in the factories and the city-centre offices come from.
The cropping season is again expected to be a disaster, leaving Zimbabweans needing food aid – all the result of a failure to develop because of a policy gridlock caused by a dysfunctional inclusive government which should have ended two years ago.
This is why the MDC external assemblies have resolved to demonstrate at South African Embassies all over the world to demand that President Zuma stop his perceived deceitful dance at the expense of Zimbabweans.
Demonstrations this month will coincide with Mugabe’s 88th birthday, on February 21. They will be held in Washington DC, London, Stockholm, Brussels, Ottawa, Pretoria, Adelaide and Sydney, among others which are yet to confirm.
Den Moyo, MDC-USA Chairman, Phone (571)2213858

To be or not to be is the question. Zimbabwe is at a crossroads and the time to decide which side you want to be on is now. The Mugabe regime was taken aback by the success of the Jan 21st Free Zimbabwe Global Protest at SA Embassies and Consulate Missions worldwide as well as at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Zanu PF is scurrying around like a wounded animal; they don’t know what hit them, and more importantly they have no clue how to mitigate the situation. The Supreme Leader ran to the AU in Ethiopia and pleaded with other dictators of his ilk for protection against what he termed a Lybian style attempt to remove him from power. He further ran to China and Russia and pleaded with them for protection in the UN Security Council. The dictator has clearly taken note of the people’s anger at his continued denial of their freedom.

We hereby put the dictator on notice that this is just the beginning of a series of events that will lead to the freedom of the oppressed peoples of Zimbabwe whether he likes it or not. We are a resilient people, and we vow not to relent in our efforts to let the world know of the continued atrocities that occur on a daily basis in Zimbabwe.

Our message to President Zuma is simple: How long do you intend to protect this tainted regime that has been discarded by its own? Are you willing to sacrifice the rainbow nation’s reputation as an emerging democracy for the expediency of a rejected tyrant? Are you willing to betray the ethos of Nelson Mandela and the ANC by aiding and abaiting a criminal despot?

The ball is in your court President Zuma, do the right thing and speed up the implemantation of the GPA in its entirety as agreed without fear or favor. One thing I can guaranty you Mr. President is that history will judge you fairly for standing up for the defenseless people of Zimbabwe in their hour of need.

In the meantime, we will continue to expose the scam devised by your predecessor President Thabo Mbeki and maintained by you to keep a deviant and malicious dictator firmly in place.

Come February 21st, we will feel the streets of Pretoria, London, Washington DC, Ottawa, Sydney, Hague, Brussels, Stockholm, and countless other cities where the SA diplomatic and government offices exist, to tell and shame on the dictator who will on that same day be indulging in his usual grandeur and extravagant exuberance celebrating his 88th birthday while typhoid causing sewerage oozes onto the streets of Harare and millions continue to starve under his oppressive draconian system.

We are finishing what we started.

In Chicago, protesters will gather at the South African consulate at 200 S Michigan Ave at 11 am local time. In Washington DC, protesters will gather at the SA embassy at 3400 International Drive NW at 10am local time. Other protests will be held in London England but the largest protest will be held at the South African foreign ministry in Tshwane (Pretoria) in South Africa on Friday.

South Africa is Africa’s most influential country and critics say it could quickly end the misery in its northern land-locked neighbor but is reluctant to do so because of the ruling ANC’s historical friendship with Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party.

The regional grouping SADC (Southern Africa Development Community) appointed South Africa to mediate in the long-standing political stalemate in Zimbabwe which was precipitated by Mugabe’s party’s electoral losses since 2000, culminating in his defeat in the 2008 presidential elections by Morgan Tsvangirayi of the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change). Mugabe refused to give up power and his supporters went on a killing spree across Zimbabwe.

SADC intervened and brokered a coalition government between Mugabe and Tsvangirayi but apart from preventing total economic collapse, the coalition government has failed to reign in Mugabe’s supporters who control the security forces and continue to use violence against perceived political rivals.

Supporters of the MDC in the United States are organizing the protests under the auspices of the USA province.

Reasons for Targeting South African Embassies, Consulates and Union Buildings
• South Africa, through its former President Thabo Mbeki, was the chief architect of the GPA and the coalition government.
• As the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) appointed mediator, SA is responsible for ensuring that the GPA is implemented to the letter and spirit of its intent.
• South Africa, with the support of China and Russia blocked UN Security Council action on the Zimbabwe crisis/
• South Africa has always maintained to the world that the Zimbabwean crisis is an African problem that requires African solutions, so we want to hold them true to their word.
• South Africa as the dominant power in Africa has the political and economic muscle to get Robert Mugabe and his Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU-PF) to respect the wishes of the Zimbabwean people which were demonstrated through the overwhelming support of the MDC in the 2008 elections.
• South Africa itself was a beneficiary of global protests that resulted in the demise of apartheid and ushered in a new democratic era.
• By virtue of being Zimbabwe’s neighbor, and considering the number of Zimbabwean refugees in SA, it is commonsensical that SA has a strong national interest in finding a lasting solution to the Zimbabwean crisis.

The Major Protest Issues
1. The deterioration of the GPA agreement – The refusal by ZANU- PF to implement the GPA in letter and spirit.
2. Rising political tension in the country – increasing cases of violence as ZANU-PF forces its election campaign ideology on the people.
3. Total disrespect of the Prime Minister’s office by the police – the security apparatus is now above the law, disruption of MDC rallies.
4. Continued incarceration of MDC members – including party youth leader Solomon Madzore.
5. Grand theft of the Marange diamond proceeds which should be used to benefit the country at large and not diverted to maintain Mugabe’s party in power
6. The disruptive Indigenization Act – discourages foreign investment and benefits the elite.
7. Security Sector Reforms – Repeal of the Public Order and Security Act and bringing to justice members of the security forces who do not respect the rule of law.
8. Media Reforms – Repeal the Access to Information and Privacy Protection Act (AIPPA) and opening up of the airwaves. Condemn the partisan issuance of two broadcasting licenses to ZANU- PF affiliates.
9. Electoral Act reforms – remove all language and articles that give undue power to ZANU- PF functionaries.
10. A New and Clean Voters’ Roll – Dismissal of the current ZANU-PF aligned Register-General Tobaiwa Mudede and the dissolution of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and appointment of a new independent body.
11. The Election Roadmap – the role of international observers six months before and after elections. We also demand a peacekeeping force during the same period.
12. Dual Citizenship in the new Constitution.
13. The Diaspora Vote – more than 5 million Zimbabweans in the Diaspora constitute a substantial portion of the electorate and should be allowed to vote.
14. Deportation of Zimbabwe nationals from South Africa – this is inhumane based on the conditions in Zimbabwe.

AWARE that the entire Zimbabwean population and all other democratic forces look to the MDC as the central engine of Real Change in Zimbabwe, the National Council hereby makes the following resolutions.

1.    THE ROADMAP AND ELECTIONS IN ZIMBABWE

1.    COGNISANT of the insincerity of ZANU PF, the lack of paradigm shift and its insatiable appetite for power manifested by its decisive power retention agenda bordering on creating an atmosphere of pandemonium, panic and uncertainty in the body politik of our country,

2.    RECALLING the humourless Zanu PF Congress resolution calling for elections in 2012 regardless of the enactment of a new Constitution and the actualisation of the Roadmap to a free, fair, credible and legitimate election,
3.    The Party reaffirms its earlier resolutions that elections in Zimbabwe cannot and will not be called for unilaterally by one person or one party and that the election in Zimbabwe will not be date driven but process driven.
4.    The Party restates that the date of the next election will only be determined after the fulfilment of all the conditions precedence defined in the roadmap including;
a.    The completion of the constitution making process and the referendum
b.    The completion of the drafting of a new voters roll.
c.    The completion of media reform.
d.    The completion of the legislative reform.
e.    The conclusion of outstanding issues at the dialogue table on security sector realignment and staffing of ZEC.
f.    The compliance by Zimbabwe of the SADC electoral guidelines on free and fair elections.
g.    The putting in place of mechanisms to ensure that violence will not be a factor in the said election.
5.    The Party notes that any election which does not meet the above conditions will be a sham election and the party will not have anything to do with a sham election.
 
 
2.    VIOLENCE AND CLOSURE OF DEMOCRATIC SPACE

1.    DISTURBED by the continued closure of democratic space in Zimbabwe characterised by the blocking and disruption of MDC meetings and rallies by police, the wanton attacks, prosecution and persecution of journalists, civil society organisations,
2.    DEEPLY WORRIED by the continued unlawful and politically motivated incarceration of the MDC Youth Assembly Chairperson Solomon Madzore, Pheneas Nhatarikwa, Councillor Tungamirai Madzokera, Yvonne Musarurwa, Rebecca Mafukeni, Lazarus Maengahama, Stanford Maengahama and Stanford Mangwiro,
3.    The Party notes with irony that while no stone has been left unturned with regards to the arrests and harassment of MDC activists including Solomon Madzore, the perpetrators of the June violence, never mind the perpetrators of Gukurahundi have not been prosecuted,
4.    In addition, the Party notes that between January and now over 402 people have either been arrested, assaulted and severely harassed by Zanu PF and its complicity criminal justice system,
5.    The Party condemns the above actions and unequivocally calls upon Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri and the Attorney General to take immediate action and to apply the law evenly and equally,
6.    The Party therefore demands the immediate release of arrested cadres and in any event demands the expeditious due process with regards to those that have been arrested.
 
3.    ZANU PF ATTEMPTS TO DESTROY THE ECONOMY

1.    AWARE of Zanu PF machinations of asset stripping, looting, patronage, clientelism, corruption and self aggrandizement euphemistically referred to as indigenisation
2.    ALSO AWARE of Zanu PF’s intentions of raping and destroying the economy through the return of the Zimbabwe dollar,
3.    The Party restates that Zanu PF’s programme does not comply with its own laws and is based on patronage and clientelism, is not demand driven and in any event is based on a narrow model of transferring shares to a few black elite that can afford them and does not amount to genuine wealth creation and distribution.
4.    The Party therefore calls for the starting afresh of the whole programme and the development of a genuine broad based upliftment programme which balances the need to attract investment, grow the economy and create jobs.
5.    Furthermore the Party calls on Government to maintain the multi-currency system, maintain the Medium Term Plan (MTP) and categorically states that there will be no return of the Zimbabwe dollar in the short to medium term.
6.    The Party calls for all income from Chiadzwa to be accounted for transparently to the State to enable the same to attend to capital and recurrent expenditure and in particular the adequate remuneration of civil servants.
 
4.    SADC AND DIALOGUE IN ZIMBABWE
1.    APPRECIATING the role of all SADC leaders in finding sustainable solutions to the Zimbabwe crisis particularly President Zuma and his Facilitation Team for remaining engaged with the crisis in Zimbabwe.
2.    TAKING NOTE of SADC important resolutions on Zimbabwe reached in Maputo, Livingstone, Sandton and Luanda.
3.    However, the Party notes the slow pace of movement and urges Sadc to urgently appoint the three person committee from the SADC Organ Troika to work with Jomic and also to ensure that dialogue on the roadmap is concluded.
4.    The Party expresses its disappointment with the slow and the non-implementation of the GPA, the post Maputo agreement and agreed portions of the roadmap and the Review Document and urges the urgent creation of an implementation and oversight mechanism, inside government and within SADC.
 
5.    THE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS

1.    RECOGNIZING that the Constitution is the supreme document of the land and the foundation upon which democracy and good governance should be built on.
2.    RECALLING Article 6 of the GPA which prescribes the constitution making process
3.    AWARE that the constitution making process is at the drafting stage.
4.    The Party calls on Copac to remain impartial and for the constitution making process to remain peaceful.
5.    The Party restates its commitment to certain fundamental constitutional canons. These include;
i.    The issue of multiple or dual citizenship.
ii.    Guarantees and respect the fundamental principle of devolution within a unitary State.
iii.    The issues of a strong and protected Bill of Rights that includes;
d.    The protection of the right to life and no to capital punishment.
e.    Gender equality and protection of women’s reproductive rights.
f.    A strong provision that outlaws all forms of discrimination.
g.    Provisions guaranteeing the right of every Zimbabwean to participate in politics to regular elections and the right of all Zimbabweans in the diaspora to vote.
iv.    Provision of defined limited terms of office for the country’s top leadership.
v.    The establishment of an Independent Prosecuting Authority.
vi.    The establishment of Parliamentary appointed oversight and Executive Commissions.
 
6.    PEACE BUILDING AND NATIONAL HEALING

1.    The MDC notes and appreciates the importance of peace building and nation building and in this regard appreciates the work of the Organ on National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration.
2.    The MDC appreciates and applauds the peace meeting held on the 11th of November 2011 and adopts the 10 principles agreed at that meeting which are;
a.    An unequivocal declaration against violence and the embracement of peace.
b.    An acceptance that there should be tolerance amongst all political parties and groupings in Zimbabwe.
c.    An undertaking that all parties in the GPA must be sincere and must walk the talk.
d.    We are all Zimbabweans. A declaration that there is a superior groundnorm which unites us all in respect on which we ought to protect despite of an in spite of our differences.
e.    An embracement of the notion that leadership, the ability to drive and to take bold decisions in important in state and nation building.
f.    An acknowledgement that we need to have a common uniting vision that transcends all our political parties and differences.
g.    Accepting and embracing the fundamental right of choice. That people have a right to make decisions of their choice including the choice to choose their own government without coercion or force.
h.    An embracement of the fact that state institutions and state organs must be impartial and must serve the people. The police must be a people police. The army must be a people’s army. The CIO must be a people’s CIO.
i.    An embracement that this nation is spiritual and believes in God despite the fact the we worship the same through different means, traditional, Christianity and Hindu.
j.    Undertaking and embracing the fact that the peace programme must be cascaded to the lowest structures in the ground.
3.    The MDC urges the expeditious cascading of the peace meetings to the Provinces.
4.    In this regard and taking note of the resolution on spiritualities, the MDC resolves that a National Day of Prayer be held as soon as possible.
 
7.    BROADCASTING LICENCES

1.    The MDC notes the recent issuance of Broadcasting Licences by the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe.
2.    The MDC resolves that forthwith the current Board of Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe be dissolved and a new one be appointed consistent with the agreement of the Principals.
3.    That all licences so far issued be cancelled forthwith.
 
8.    LOCAL AUTHORITIES

1.    The Party observes and acknowledges the existence of its presence in Local Authorities with 786 Councillors.
2.    The Party observes with concern the corruption, lack of delivery and chaos resulting from Ministerial interference in some of these Councils and Local Authorities.
3.    The Party resolves that;
a.    It will set up Committees to investigate and audit each of the Councillors and Councils that will consider issues of good governance, accountability and policy consistence.
b.    That the National Council proscribes and bar any guilty Councillor from holding any office in the Party.
 
9.    AIR ZIMBABWE

1.    The Party notes the chaos, mismanagement and incompetence at Air Zimbabwe.
2.    The Party observes that the collapse and decay at Air Zimbabwe is reflective of the general state of most parastatals.
3.    The Party resolves that Air Zimbabwe Private Limited as it is defined right now should be shut down and closed immediately.
4.    That a new Zimbabwe airline that partners with a foreign investor should be formed that will take over the whole staff at Air Zimbabwe.
5.    The tax payers’ money should not be used to fund any corrupt and unsustainable parastatals.

10.    DISTRIBUTION OF FARMING INPUTS

1.    The MDC recognises the existence of vulnerable farming groups in the country in particular communal farmers and therefore accepts that Government must support these vulnerable farmers.
2.    CONCERNED by the skewed and politically biased distribution of farming inputs such as seed and fertilizer and the use of inputs and food as a campaign tool by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Grain Marketing Board which borders on vote buying.
3.    The party calls on the Ministry of Agriculture and the Grain Marketing Board to distribute farming inputs in a transparent manner.

MDC Murewa members pose with new soccer supplies

Zimbabwe.

Pursuant to a resolution of the Massachussetts district of November 17, the partnership has already started to deliver by raising $500 which was used to purchase a soccer kit for the ward. Projects are being identified in collaboration with the local structures of the MDC in the constituency and in Zimbabwe.

A proposed poultry project is expected to generate income for local party activities. Books, clothing and other supplies will be collected in the United States for distribution among the needy in Ward 12.

It is expected that this partnership will motivate residents of the ward to continue their efforts to fight for their political and economic rights in Zimbabwe. The Massachusetts district plans to raise more than $3000 for its partnership program with Murewa West over the next few months.

MDC districts in the United States are expected and encouraged to emulate the efforts of Massachusetts and adopt other communities in Zimbabwe.

• Government of National Unity in Zimbabwe provided short term gains but there is need for fulfillment of all Global Political Agreements followed by a free and fair election.
• Guarantee of security of person and property is vital to holding of free and fair elections in Zimbabwe.
• South Africa can put pressure on Zimbabwe to institute political, economic and social reforms.
• Zimbabwean in the Diaspora should utilize social media and other technologies to influence change in Zimbabwe.
• MDC lawmakers should initiate efforts to repeal repressive laws like POSA and AIPA.
• Zimbabwean in the Diaspora should press for their right to vote while living outside the country.
The Movement for Democratic Change-USA Washington (DC) District executive took the initiative to put together this forum in close collaboration with Ezekiel’s place. Dialogue was constructive throughout and participants were further motivated to continue to work together for Zimbabwe’s transformation.
The Forum aimed to network Zimbabweans living in the United States and individuals concerned about the Zimbabwean situation to discuss current and future challenges of Zimbabwe. Delegates came from as far as Michigan, Cincinnati, University of West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia.

We meet at a time of rising political tension in the country, increasing cases of violence, sabotage and total disrespect by the Police and other government agencies of the Prime Minister, even as he executes government programmes.

It appears the demons of violence are back, a siege mood seems to be slowly gripping the country. This is a reincarnation of the violence of 2008 and this country risks sliding back if immediate action is not taken to bring back order and peace in the country.

The inclusive government

The inclusive government trudges on, albeit with differences on how best we can empower the people of Zimbabwe.
We differ with our Zanu PF colleagues in government because they seek to empower a few, well-connected elite while some of us are advocating for a comprehensive plan which creates jobs, uplifts the ordinary people, increases the cake and attracts investment so that every Zimbabwean benefits.

I have travelled the whole country and addressed meetings and what is evident is that despite the rhetoric of indigenisation, over 90 percent of our population has no jobs and no income. That is their priority and we must there come up with a plan that addresses the plight of every Zimbabwean and not a few well-connected politicians.

This government has serious challenges on its hands, including lack of food in various parts of the country. As I toured various provinces to assess projects under the Government Work Programme, villagers in most parts of the country were eager to know what plans government has put in place to ensure that no one starves.

About six out of the 10 provinces are likely to experience food shortages. I have tasked the Ministers of Agriculture and Labour and Social Services to put in place a full-proof mechanism to ensure food is moved from the surplus areas to the deficit areas.

Once again, it is pertinent to stress that it is the responsibility of Government to ensure that every Zimbabwean does not starve and as Prime Minister, I hope that there will be non-partisan food distribution in the deficit areas.

One other key challenge the inclusive government faces is the lack of movement on key reforms to ensure that there is a proper environment for the conduct of a free and fair election.
One of the most important of these is media reforms. I am saddened to note that there is no movement on this arena, especially the liberalisation of the airwaves.

The Minister of Media, Information and Publicity and his staff have simply refused to act to ensure movement in this key area.

The four media houses short-listed by the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe for the granting of radio licences, which Authority we agreed with the President should be reconstituted, include among them Zimpapers, a public print media house.

This is the biggest assault on our quest to media freedom in this country.

Zimbabweans want a plural media. They do not want more of the same.

They want a multiplicity of voices not another ZBC in a different form. It would not be surprising at this rate to learn one of these days that the ZBC itself is now seeking a newspaper licence as part of “pluralising” the print media in this country.

This is no laughing matter.

It is a key issue which is at the core of the Global Political Agreement and the roadmap to elections as agreed by negotiators of all parties. We simply expect true diversity and not a charade to mislead the nation and the region that there are media reforms taking place in Zimbabwe.

The Government Work Programme

On Monday I launched the Health Transition Fund in Marondera.

The Fund, launched with the support of Partners, will result in about $435 million being invested in this crucial social sector particularly to support women and children.

On Monday, I said this was a revolution and with minimum discord in government, we can be able to achieve more in the social sectors of health and education.

Tomorrow, I will be launching the Education Transition Fund where, with the help of Partners, we will be providing textbooks to all the secondary schools in the country. Last year, I commissioned 13 million textbooks for the country’s 5 500 primary schools in what was the single largest investment into education since independence.
When I saw students proudly holding these books at Simbali primary school in Binga on the banks of the Zambezi, I knew this investment had changed the face of the country.

We are set to continue with this revolution tomorrow when we do the same exercise for the secondary school as a way of bringing back the glory into our education which had collapsed due to three decades of misgovernance.

Other ministries continue to pursue their critical path targets and following the consultations the Minister of Finance had with ministries and other stakeholders, it is my hope that in the forthcoming national budget, funds can be channelled into the priorities of government as identified by the ministries and endorsed by Cabinet.
A number of achievements have been recorded through the implementation of the Government Work Program.

We have managed to stabilize the economy, service delivery in the Health and Education sector has improved. The recently launched MTP has also given our planning a sense of direction and focus. The linkages between the MTP, Government Work Program and the budget should see the Zimbabwean economy being more focused and progressive.

It is only through effective coordination of government programmes that can help our economy to grow and prosper. Through the evaluation of the implementation of the Government Work Program we have noted areas that needs more focus especially in the infrastructural development and the legislative agenda.

There has been notable progress in the provision of water, social services, and other sectors. But despite the indicated successes in the education and health sectors, the overall performance of Ministries, for 2011 ranges between 30% and 40%. This is quite poor when compared to the 60% which was recorded in 2010.We are behind the curve in implementing a number of legislative and non-legislative reforms, to which we are committed not only in the GWP but also in the GPA.

Besides the limited budgetary resources, there is lack of determination in the implementation of Government programs in some Ministries. The level of compliance remains low with some ministries failing to send even a single report to the Office of the Prime Minister since January. This has made it difficult to monitor implementation of government programmes.

Non submission of reports means that accountability of resources received has been non-existent. Improving our own capacity to deliver is therefore a priority.

I have personallytoured various provinces to assess projects of the government work programme. This allows me the opportunity, as the executive authority responsible for policy formulation and implementation, to inspect specific projects on the ground.

It is while on government work during these tours, especially in Matabeleland North, that the police have exposed themselves to be partisan and to be disrespectful to me and the executive office that I hold in the country.
I shall come to the specific actions by the police later in my remarks.

Violence and the absence of the rule of law

Statistics of violence in the past one month have shown an increase. For example, one human rights group has noted 800 cases of human rights violations in the month of September alone, which translates to an average of 28 violations a day.

Despite the fact that I am the Prime Minister of this country, with executive powers bestowed on me, I have witnessed the participation of the police in gross human rights violations.

The violence we are witnessing is State-sponsored and State-driven. It is being championed by a few fascist leaders who want to reverse the little progress we have made. They have become a threat to peace, stability and social order in the country.

I want to promise these misguided elements that their days are numbered because I and the President agreed yesterday that we must put a stop to this violence in Harare and elsewhere.

Only yesterday after the President and I had met, the police besieged the MDC headquarters, Harvest House, beat up people and tried to force their way into the offices for no apparent reason. They threatened by-standers, threw teargas into crowds going about their business and brought the entire city into a standstill as citizens scurried for cover.

The police say they are for the law, for the people and for the country, but what we have witnessed is that they are anti-law, anti-people and anti-country.

On Saturday, I was scheduled to tour St Paul’s clinic in Lupane but police in three truckloads chased away staff an hour before my arrival and locked the gate.

I was scheduled to address a rally at a nearby business centre and another rally the following day at Chinotimba stadium in Victoria Falls. Police chased away people from the two venues before I arrived despite court orders to the effect that the rallies must proceed.

When a police officer refuses to respect a court order, this is total disregard for the rule of law and it represents a break-down of justice in the country.

In Lupane, they threw away pots of food while in Victoria Falls; they occupied the stadium, locked themselves in and prevented anyone from entering the venue.

On Sunday, another MDC rally was violently disrupted by Zanu PF youths in Hatcliffe.

The major issue is that you have the police disrupting a lawful gathering to be addressed by their own minister and further disrupting a tour of a hospital by the Prime Minister of the land, then you now have party functionaries masquerading as a police force.

The public hearings by Parliament have not been spared, with Zanu PF thugs disrupting proceedings and preventing people from freely airing their views. To date, the police have not made a single arrest on any of the perpetrators of these dastardly acts.

On Sunday, Bulwayo South MP, Hon. Eddie Cross, was threatened with death in Mvuma by people who claimed to be State agents. To date, no one has been arrested.

Conclusion

The State security agents have instituted a coup over the civilian authority and they are now above the law, to the extent of disrupting government programmes and assaulting civilians with impunity.

The country is at a high risk of imploding if some in the leadership continue to be privately abetting lawlessness while publicly preaching non-violence.

I urge President Mugabe and Zanu PF to commit themselves to the letter and spirit of the GPA, to appreciate that this is shared responsibility and that this shared executive authority that no one should undermine.

I urge the police to do their job in a non-partisan manner and I will be urging the President to use his powers in the Police Act to deal with senior police officers promoting lawlessness in the country.

Personally, I do not condone violence. My party and I have been victims of violence and not perpetrators. My whole political career is premised on non-violent politics and that is why we won the 2008 election without violence and without firing a single bullet.

I also told the President yesterday that we must show leadership and ensure that true media reforms, particularly in the broadcasting sector, are part of the cocktail of measures that we should immediately implement to give confidence and provide a platform for alternative voices.

We also await the deployment of the three-member SADC technical committee that was supposed to work with JOMIC in monitoring the situation in the country.

The deployment of that team is long overdue.

I am committed to executing my mandate and to serving this country as I swore to do at the formation of the inclusive government in February 2009.

I urge my colleagues in leadership to step up to the plate, to stem violence and to implement that reforms that we all agreed should be put in place ahead of the next election.
Zimbabweans deserve nothing less.

Finally, I want to put finality and closure to an issue that has been misinterpreted; the issue of the so-called gay rights. My beliefs on this issue are a matter of public record. My beliefs manifest themselves in my practice.

I am a Christian associated with the Methodist church. I am a father. I am a grandfather. I am a family man.
I am a Zimbabwean and I know the strong feelings of Zimbabweans about this issue. I have those strong feelings too but in the end, Zimbabweans are making their own Constitution and it is that Constitution which will bind every Zimbabwean.

What I refuse to do as a loyal son of God and as a social democrat is to persecute, to judge, to condemn and to vilify people for their own opinions because judgment is a preserve of God the Almighty.

The Book of Luke Chapter 6 verse 37: “Do not judge and you will not be judged, do not condemn and you will not be condemned.”

The Book of John Chapter 8 verse 7: “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to thrown a stone…”

So while I may differ with them, as a Christian and as a social democrat, I refuse to throw a stone at them.