Air Zimbabwe's passenger jets could be seized at Gatwick airport after an
international tribunal ruled that the country's assets could be confiscated
and sold in order to compensate farmers whose land has been seized.
The decision by the Washington-based International Centre for the Settlement
of Investment Disputes (ICSID) came after a six-year legal battle between a
group of Dutch farmers and President Robert Mugabe's government.
It finally ruled last week that Mr Mugabe's government had broken a
bilateral investment treaty with the Netherlands and awarded the group more
than £14 million in compensation.
The ICSID is part of the World Bank and the judgment can be enforced by
seizing Zimbabwean state assets - such as Air Zimbabwe's aircraft - in any
of its more than 100 member countries, which include both Britain and
America. Embassy buildings, though, are excluded from seizure under the
Vienna conventions.
At a hearing in Paris, which was closed to both the public and media,
Zimbabwean officials defended the eviction of more than 4,000 farmers saying
the best agricultural land was taken by white "settlers", mostly British,
during the colonial era.
One of the farmers, Ben Funnekotter, 49, born of Dutch parents in Zimbabwe
and who now lives in Australia, was one of the first forced off by Mr
Mugabe's thugs in 2000.
"We need to see if the award will be paid," he said. "If it is not, then I
will start proceedings to impound any assets belonging to the Zimbabwe
government."
Matthew Coleman, a British lawyer who represented the farmers in Paris,
said: "We hope this encourages others to come forward and bring claims under
the bilateral investment treaties."
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Police detain white commercial farmer
HARARE - Zimbabwean police on Tuesday detained a white commercial farmer --
who is embroiled in a farm ownership wrangle with a high ranking government
official - allegedly for disorderly conduct.
Peter Etheredge, who owns Stockdale Farm in the south western farming town
of Chegutu that Zimbabwe's Speaker of Parliament Edna Madzongwe wants to
take over, was detained by police in the morning.
Two of his employees were shot and injured allegedly by police guarding the
farm on behalf of Madzongwe. They were taken to the Avenues Clinic in the
capital.
A lawyer who was in Chegutu confirmed that Etheredge was detained at Chegutu
police station. "He has been detained for disorderly conduct," said the
lawyer who did not want her name to be published.
"What is surprising is that that the police are saying it's disorderly
conduct but no one is elaborating as to what actually happened. Two of his
employees have been taken to Harare after they had been shot in the
morning," the lawyer added.
Another farmer at the scene also confirmed the detention of Etheredge. "He
has been detained by the police since morning, and we have not been told
what is the problem or what the police intend to charge him with," said the
farmer.
"We are completely in the dark, but two of his workers have been shot, one
through the knee and another somewhere in the leg."
No comment could be obtained from the police last night.
Violence has intensified on farms across Zimbabwe in recent weeks, with farm
invaders attacking workers and owners, effectively paralysing operations on
farms.
Commercial farmers' organisations say invaders have since February raided at
least 100 of the about 300 remaining white-owned commercial farms, a
development that has intensified doubts over whether the unity government
will withstand attempts by ZANU PF hardliners to sabotage it.
The International Monetary Fund and Western countries have - on top of other
conditions - made it clear that hey would not consider giving aid to the
Harare government while farm invasion continue.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Thursday appointed a team of senior
government ministers to probe continuing violence on the country's few
remaining white-owned commercial farms.
The team that visited selected farms was led by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur
Mutambara and included joint-Home Affairs Ministers Kembo Mohadi and Giles
Mutsekwa, Agriculture Minister Joseph Made, Lands Minister Hebert Murerwa
and Minister of State in Tsvangirai's office Gorden Moyo.
Zimbabwe, also grappling with its worst ever economic crisis, has since 2000
when land reforms began, relied on food imports and handouts from
international food agencies mainly due to failure by resettled black
peasants to maintain production on former white farms.
Poor performance in the mainstay agricultural sector has also had far
reaching consequences as hundreds of thousands of people have lost jobs
while the manufacturing sector, starved of inputs from the sector, is
operating at around 10 percent of capacity
who is embroiled in a farm ownership wrangle with a high ranking government
official - allegedly for disorderly conduct.
Peter Etheredge, who owns Stockdale Farm in the south western farming town
of Chegutu that Zimbabwe's Speaker of Parliament Edna Madzongwe wants to
take over, was detained by police in the morning.
Two of his employees were shot and injured allegedly by police guarding the
farm on behalf of Madzongwe. They were taken to the Avenues Clinic in the
capital.
A lawyer who was in Chegutu confirmed that Etheredge was detained at Chegutu
police station. "He has been detained for disorderly conduct," said the
lawyer who did not want her name to be published.
"What is surprising is that that the police are saying it's disorderly
conduct but no one is elaborating as to what actually happened. Two of his
employees have been taken to Harare after they had been shot in the
morning," the lawyer added.
Another farmer at the scene also confirmed the detention of Etheredge. "He
has been detained by the police since morning, and we have not been told
what is the problem or what the police intend to charge him with," said the
farmer.
"We are completely in the dark, but two of his workers have been shot, one
through the knee and another somewhere in the leg."
No comment could be obtained from the police last night.
Violence has intensified on farms across Zimbabwe in recent weeks, with farm
invaders attacking workers and owners, effectively paralysing operations on
farms.
Commercial farmers' organisations say invaders have since February raided at
least 100 of the about 300 remaining white-owned commercial farms, a
development that has intensified doubts over whether the unity government
will withstand attempts by ZANU PF hardliners to sabotage it.
The International Monetary Fund and Western countries have - on top of other
conditions - made it clear that hey would not consider giving aid to the
Harare government while farm invasion continue.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Thursday appointed a team of senior
government ministers to probe continuing violence on the country's few
remaining white-owned commercial farms.
The team that visited selected farms was led by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur
Mutambara and included joint-Home Affairs Ministers Kembo Mohadi and Giles
Mutsekwa, Agriculture Minister Joseph Made, Lands Minister Hebert Murerwa
and Minister of State in Tsvangirai's office Gorden Moyo.
Zimbabwe, also grappling with its worst ever economic crisis, has since 2000
when land reforms began, relied on food imports and handouts from
international food agencies mainly due to failure by resettled black
peasants to maintain production on former white farms.
Poor performance in the mainstay agricultural sector has also had far
reaching consequences as hundreds of thousands of people have lost jobs
while the manufacturing sector, starved of inputs from the sector, is
operating at around 10 percent of capacity
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
ZANU PF functionaries still dominate Zim media: Report
HARARE - Officials linked to President Robert Mugabe's ZANU PF party
and central bank chief Gideon Gono still enjoy unfettered publicity from the
country's public media two months after formation of an inclusive
government, a media monitoring organisation has said.
In its weekly media report, the Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe
(MMPZ) said people "linked to ZANU PF" continued to indulge in "abuse of
public media", citing the Herald's recent reproduction of comments made by
Gono during the era when ZANU PF used to rule the country alone.
"Nothing more clearly illustrates the continued abuse of public media
by senior government officials linked to ZANU PF than the Herald's coverage
of the Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono's address to parliamentarians
during which he defended his quasi-fiscal policies that were partly to blame
for the country's economic collapse," MMPZ said.
"Instead of critically examining his statements, the paper (Herald)
published stories between Friday April 3 and Wednesday April 8 2009 merely
regurgitating his justification of discredited activities during ZANU PF
government reign."
The media body said although the daily supinely reported Gono as
having dismissed private media reports that he had run a parallel government
prior to the formation of the inclusive government on February 11, there was
no attempt to unmask Gono's statements of dishonesty when he diverted funds
meant to assist the Global Fund.
"There was no attempt to relate dishonest statements to documented
evidence of his abuse of money from Global Fund and his raids on foreign
currency accounts belonging to exporters and NGOs among other irregular
activities," MMPZ said.
"Neither did the paper seek independent corroboration of merely
executing his mandate as stipulated by law governing operations of the
central bank."
The problem was not confined to the Herald alone, MMPZ said as this
also spilled over to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation's (ZBC) SpotFM
which changed its mid-morning programming to accommodate the live broadcast
of Gono's more than one-and-half-hour long address, which it repeated the
same evening.
"It is such blatant abuse of the public media that vindicates calls
for urgent media law reforms that would help Zimbabweans to reclaim public
media so as to ensure that they fully adhere to their mandate of serving the
interests of all citizens."
Zimbabwe's power-sharing government early this month undertook to open
up the media to more players within the next 100 days, agreeing to reform
Zimbabwe's restrictive media regulatory environment so as to ensure press
freedom.
State Minister Gorden Moyo told reporters after a ministerial retreat
in Victoria Falls that government had "resolved that the media laws be
reformed and that space be provided for more players".
"We are expecting that we will have a new media commission which will
oversee serious steps toward freeing the airwaves in terms of licensing TV
and radio stations and allowing other players from outside to come and
broadcast from Zimbabwe," said Moyo.
Government-controlled newspapers are the biggest and most dominant in
Zimbabwe after Mugabe's government banned four privately owned newspapers
including the Daily News, which was the largest circulating daily at its
forced closure in 2003.
There are no independent broadcasters in Zimbabwe. The state-owned ZBC
runs the country's only television and radio stations, all tightly
controlled by government, which has the final say on senior editorial and
managerial appointments.
The southern African country has some of the toughest media laws in
the world. For example, the government's Access to Information and
Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) requires journalists to obtain licences
from the government's Media and Information Commission in order to practise
in Zimbabwe.
The commission can withdraw licences from journalists who fail to
conform. Journalists caught practising without a licence are liable to a
two-year jail term under AIPPA.
Besides journalists being required to obtain licences, newspaper
companies are also required to register with the state commission with those
failing to do so facing closure and seizure of their equipment by the
police.
Former opposition leader and now Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and
Mugabe formed a power sharing government in February to rescue Zimbabwe's
ruined economy and work to end a humanitarian crisis manifested in deepening
poverty and disease.
Article 19 of the power-sharing agreement signed in September by
Zimbabwe's major political parties acknowledges the need for a free and
diverse media environment.
and central bank chief Gideon Gono still enjoy unfettered publicity from the
country's public media two months after formation of an inclusive
government, a media monitoring organisation has said.
In its weekly media report, the Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe
(MMPZ) said people "linked to ZANU PF" continued to indulge in "abuse of
public media", citing the Herald's recent reproduction of comments made by
Gono during the era when ZANU PF used to rule the country alone.
"Nothing more clearly illustrates the continued abuse of public media
by senior government officials linked to ZANU PF than the Herald's coverage
of the Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono's address to parliamentarians
during which he defended his quasi-fiscal policies that were partly to blame
for the country's economic collapse," MMPZ said.
"Instead of critically examining his statements, the paper (Herald)
published stories between Friday April 3 and Wednesday April 8 2009 merely
regurgitating his justification of discredited activities during ZANU PF
government reign."
The media body said although the daily supinely reported Gono as
having dismissed private media reports that he had run a parallel government
prior to the formation of the inclusive government on February 11, there was
no attempt to unmask Gono's statements of dishonesty when he diverted funds
meant to assist the Global Fund.
"There was no attempt to relate dishonest statements to documented
evidence of his abuse of money from Global Fund and his raids on foreign
currency accounts belonging to exporters and NGOs among other irregular
activities," MMPZ said.
"Neither did the paper seek independent corroboration of merely
executing his mandate as stipulated by law governing operations of the
central bank."
The problem was not confined to the Herald alone, MMPZ said as this
also spilled over to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation's (ZBC) SpotFM
which changed its mid-morning programming to accommodate the live broadcast
of Gono's more than one-and-half-hour long address, which it repeated the
same evening.
"It is such blatant abuse of the public media that vindicates calls
for urgent media law reforms that would help Zimbabweans to reclaim public
media so as to ensure that they fully adhere to their mandate of serving the
interests of all citizens."
Zimbabwe's power-sharing government early this month undertook to open
up the media to more players within the next 100 days, agreeing to reform
Zimbabwe's restrictive media regulatory environment so as to ensure press
freedom.
State Minister Gorden Moyo told reporters after a ministerial retreat
in Victoria Falls that government had "resolved that the media laws be
reformed and that space be provided for more players".
"We are expecting that we will have a new media commission which will
oversee serious steps toward freeing the airwaves in terms of licensing TV
and radio stations and allowing other players from outside to come and
broadcast from Zimbabwe," said Moyo.
Government-controlled newspapers are the biggest and most dominant in
Zimbabwe after Mugabe's government banned four privately owned newspapers
including the Daily News, which was the largest circulating daily at its
forced closure in 2003.
There are no independent broadcasters in Zimbabwe. The state-owned ZBC
runs the country's only television and radio stations, all tightly
controlled by government, which has the final say on senior editorial and
managerial appointments.
The southern African country has some of the toughest media laws in
the world. For example, the government's Access to Information and
Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) requires journalists to obtain licences
from the government's Media and Information Commission in order to practise
in Zimbabwe.
The commission can withdraw licences from journalists who fail to
conform. Journalists caught practising without a licence are liable to a
two-year jail term under AIPPA.
Besides journalists being required to obtain licences, newspaper
companies are also required to register with the state commission with those
failing to do so facing closure and seizure of their equipment by the
police.
Former opposition leader and now Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and
Mugabe formed a power sharing government in February to rescue Zimbabwe's
ruined economy and work to end a humanitarian crisis manifested in deepening
poverty and disease.
Article 19 of the power-sharing agreement signed in September by
Zimbabwe's major political parties acknowledges the need for a free and
diverse media environment.
Monday, April 20, 2009
ZANU -PF determined to continue looting
The recent demotion of ICT Minister Hon. Nelson Chamisa by the ZANU PF
leader Mr Robert Mugabe only serves to confirm how insincere ZANU-PF remains
about genuine partnership with the opposition.
ZANU PF has a defined plan to weaken and decimate the opposition ahead of
elections . It is clear that ZANU believes MDC should be a junior partner in
the power-sharing arrangement despite the fact that MDC won the election and
should be the ruling party whilst ZANU PF should be recovering as a
opposition party.
The whole GNU concept was ill-conceived from the start. This has been
worsened by the general view that those who do not support the GNU are not
patriotic.
The reported transformation of the Joint Operations Command into the Social
Revolutionary Council only saves to highlight how ZANU is slowly re-branding
its notorious units.
These units have their habits and ways of committing evil acts against
anyone who tries to challenge them.
It is clear ZANU PF does not support the proposed Media reforms and access
to information which Hon Chamisa was spear heading. These are the key
reforms that Zimbabwe needs for the "sanctions" to be lifted.
By demoting Hon Chamisa Mr Mugabe is making it clear he doesn't care about
sanctions or the welfare of Zimbabweans who desperately need International
support and assistance .
What is clear is ZANU is determined to hold on to National Assets such as
Net-one which are being looted left ,right and centre. The introduction of
Hon Chamisa presented a road block for the looting gravy train.
Just like its exclusive access to the Diamond mines in Chiadzwa ,ZANU PF
remains focused on denying MDC any access to resources or power. This
explains why the state Media continue to take a dim view on all activities
of the MDC.
According to ZANU PF when they lose election power has to be shared but when
ZANU "won" past elections there was never a suggestion that power should be
shared.
This trend is totally disturbing as it goes against the whole concept of
having elections in the first place.
The parties should simply sit and dived power without wasting time
,resources and killing opposition activists just to proceed to divide power
between election losers and winners .
The MDC clearly was duped ,intimidated and forced into a Government meant to
legitimize an illegal government that has committed serious crimes against
humanity.
After losing an election and then proceed to commit mass murder ,rape,
torture against Zimbabweans ZANU PF does not deserve to be rewarded or
legitimized by being accommodated in some fancy Government structure as a
senior partner in that Government.
It is clear ZANU is determined to use all tricks and tactics to frustrate
and impede Zimbabwe's recovery. The recent press reports of the Reserve Bank
dishing out Quasi Fiscal Activities left over vehicles to Mps is just but
one clear sign that Zimbabwe remains in the woods.
The MPS are being silenced through such perks which are still dripping with
blood from crimes against humanity.
The very same vehicles are the "unmarked vehicles" that were used through
out the country to abduct, torture and murder opposition and human rights
activists.
And now Members of Parliament are being rewarded with such tainted vehicles
used to commit such horrible crimes against innocent Zimbabweans?
How can then the MPs be expected to question the source of the vehicles or
what the vehicles were used for in the past?
MDC is categorically being dismantled and weakened much to the disadvantage
of Zimbabweans who have all their faith in MDC as an agent of change.
The two MDC Ministers from who much was expected are slowly being entangled
in a massive web resembling a circus. Finance Minister Biti was widely
expected to be a new broom at the Ministry of Finance , but he is unlikely
to deliver much as long as the International Community withholds support.
Given that the removal of the Reserve Bank Governor has been made a
condition precedent for any resumption of Aid means Minister Biti will find
it hard to achieve the 100 day plan goals.
The Reserve Bank Governor has made it clear that he is borrowing his
Principal's favorite song - handiende.
Now if you have individuals who are willing to hold the nation at ransom
just to remain in office it doesn't take much to figure that such people
cant be taken as serious partners with a genuine will to see the country
recover.
The recent documentary on Prisons conditions show how ZANU PF has committed
crimes against humanity. The evidence is undeniable .
According to Wikipedia Crimes against humanity, as defined by the Rome
Statute of the International Criminal Court Explanatory Memorandum, "are
particularly odious offences in that they constitute a serious attack on
human dignity or grave humiliation or a degradation of one or more human
beings.
They are not isolated or sporadic events, but are part either of a
government policy (although the perpetrators need not identify themselves
with this policy) or of a wide practice of atrocities tolerated or condoned
by a government or a de facto authority.
Murder, extermination, torture, rape, political, racial, or religious
persecution and other inhumane acts reach the threshold of crimes against
humanity only if they are part of a widespread or systematic practice .
The conditions in Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe's Prisons clearly show how fellow
human beings are degraded, abused and humiliated in a scale that's clearly a
crime against humanity .
When you have partners who are prepared to do things such as keeping fellow
human beings under such conditions and come out to deny or support it its
clear such a Government can not be progressive.
As such MDC may need to re-think its partnership with ZANU-PF since
Governments operate on the doctrine of share responsibility and
accountability.
Some of these crimes against humanity need to isolated and be clearly linked
to those who committed them .
It is clear that the MDC needs to remain alert to the various schemes and
tactics that are being employed to weaken it.
Ministers Biti and Chamisa were particularly expected to deliver a lot on
behalf of the MDC and as elections draw closer it may be harder for them to
show any real progress due to the traps and snares prepared for them in
ZANU-PF bid to tarnish MDC reputation and image .
Zimbabwe needs a ruling party and an opposition ,not de-facto one party
state.
leader Mr Robert Mugabe only serves to confirm how insincere ZANU-PF remains
about genuine partnership with the opposition.
ZANU PF has a defined plan to weaken and decimate the opposition ahead of
elections . It is clear that ZANU believes MDC should be a junior partner in
the power-sharing arrangement despite the fact that MDC won the election and
should be the ruling party whilst ZANU PF should be recovering as a
opposition party.
The whole GNU concept was ill-conceived from the start. This has been
worsened by the general view that those who do not support the GNU are not
patriotic.
The reported transformation of the Joint Operations Command into the Social
Revolutionary Council only saves to highlight how ZANU is slowly re-branding
its notorious units.
These units have their habits and ways of committing evil acts against
anyone who tries to challenge them.
It is clear ZANU PF does not support the proposed Media reforms and access
to information which Hon Chamisa was spear heading. These are the key
reforms that Zimbabwe needs for the "sanctions" to be lifted.
By demoting Hon Chamisa Mr Mugabe is making it clear he doesn't care about
sanctions or the welfare of Zimbabweans who desperately need International
support and assistance .
What is clear is ZANU is determined to hold on to National Assets such as
Net-one which are being looted left ,right and centre. The introduction of
Hon Chamisa presented a road block for the looting gravy train.
Just like its exclusive access to the Diamond mines in Chiadzwa ,ZANU PF
remains focused on denying MDC any access to resources or power. This
explains why the state Media continue to take a dim view on all activities
of the MDC.
According to ZANU PF when they lose election power has to be shared but when
ZANU "won" past elections there was never a suggestion that power should be
shared.
This trend is totally disturbing as it goes against the whole concept of
having elections in the first place.
The parties should simply sit and dived power without wasting time
,resources and killing opposition activists just to proceed to divide power
between election losers and winners .
The MDC clearly was duped ,intimidated and forced into a Government meant to
legitimize an illegal government that has committed serious crimes against
humanity.
After losing an election and then proceed to commit mass murder ,rape,
torture against Zimbabweans ZANU PF does not deserve to be rewarded or
legitimized by being accommodated in some fancy Government structure as a
senior partner in that Government.
It is clear ZANU is determined to use all tricks and tactics to frustrate
and impede Zimbabwe's recovery. The recent press reports of the Reserve Bank
dishing out Quasi Fiscal Activities left over vehicles to Mps is just but
one clear sign that Zimbabwe remains in the woods.
The MPS are being silenced through such perks which are still dripping with
blood from crimes against humanity.
The very same vehicles are the "unmarked vehicles" that were used through
out the country to abduct, torture and murder opposition and human rights
activists.
And now Members of Parliament are being rewarded with such tainted vehicles
used to commit such horrible crimes against innocent Zimbabweans?
How can then the MPs be expected to question the source of the vehicles or
what the vehicles were used for in the past?
MDC is categorically being dismantled and weakened much to the disadvantage
of Zimbabweans who have all their faith in MDC as an agent of change.
The two MDC Ministers from who much was expected are slowly being entangled
in a massive web resembling a circus. Finance Minister Biti was widely
expected to be a new broom at the Ministry of Finance , but he is unlikely
to deliver much as long as the International Community withholds support.
Given that the removal of the Reserve Bank Governor has been made a
condition precedent for any resumption of Aid means Minister Biti will find
it hard to achieve the 100 day plan goals.
The Reserve Bank Governor has made it clear that he is borrowing his
Principal's favorite song - handiende.
Now if you have individuals who are willing to hold the nation at ransom
just to remain in office it doesn't take much to figure that such people
cant be taken as serious partners with a genuine will to see the country
recover.
The recent documentary on Prisons conditions show how ZANU PF has committed
crimes against humanity. The evidence is undeniable .
According to Wikipedia Crimes against humanity, as defined by the Rome
Statute of the International Criminal Court Explanatory Memorandum, "are
particularly odious offences in that they constitute a serious attack on
human dignity or grave humiliation or a degradation of one or more human
beings.
They are not isolated or sporadic events, but are part either of a
government policy (although the perpetrators need not identify themselves
with this policy) or of a wide practice of atrocities tolerated or condoned
by a government or a de facto authority.
Murder, extermination, torture, rape, political, racial, or religious
persecution and other inhumane acts reach the threshold of crimes against
humanity only if they are part of a widespread or systematic practice .
The conditions in Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe's Prisons clearly show how fellow
human beings are degraded, abused and humiliated in a scale that's clearly a
crime against humanity .
When you have partners who are prepared to do things such as keeping fellow
human beings under such conditions and come out to deny or support it its
clear such a Government can not be progressive.
As such MDC may need to re-think its partnership with ZANU-PF since
Governments operate on the doctrine of share responsibility and
accountability.
Some of these crimes against humanity need to isolated and be clearly linked
to those who committed them .
It is clear that the MDC needs to remain alert to the various schemes and
tactics that are being employed to weaken it.
Ministers Biti and Chamisa were particularly expected to deliver a lot on
behalf of the MDC and as elections draw closer it may be harder for them to
show any real progress due to the traps and snares prepared for them in
ZANU-PF bid to tarnish MDC reputation and image .
Zimbabwe needs a ruling party and an opposition ,not de-facto one party
state.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Hardline ZANU-PF Ministers Form Oppositional Group
By Blessing Zulu
Zimbabwean cabinet ministers belonging to President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party and former members of the Joint Operations Command of security agency chiefs are said to have joined forces in a shadowy group calling itself the Social Revolutionary Council designed to frustrate the aims of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, political sources say.
Members of the group are said to include Defense Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, State Security Minister Didymus Mutasa, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Gideon Gono and the commanders of the army and air force, government and party sources said.
Mnangagwa, considered a potential successor to Mr. Mugabe as ZANU-PF chief and as that party's next presidential contender, declined to comment, as did Mutasa.
The Joint Operations Command, commonly referred to as the JOC, was said to have exerted significant influence over President Mugabe following his defeat by Mr. Tsvangirai in the first round of presidential voting on March 29, 2008, and to have coordinated the deadly wave of political violence that preceded the presidential runoff ballot on June 27. Mr. Tsvangirai withdrew from that runoff in protest of the violence against his supporters.
The Social Revolutionary Council is said to be behind the recent wave of invasions of white-owned commercial farms and the continued detention and harassment of officials and activists of Mr. Tsvangirai's formation of the Movement for Democratic Change.
Confirming there remain divisions within the unity government, President Mugabe this week said farm takeovers should continue, adding that elections could be held in two years.
Government and political sources said the members of the group lobbied Mr. Mugabe not to swear deputy agriculture minister-designate Roy Bennett into office.
The sources said Bennett’s son Charles has also been targeted by the group, which urged the police to arrest him for driving his father Feb. 13 to the airport outside Harare where he was arrested on weapons and security charges dating to 2006.
Sources in Tsvangirai's MDC formation central banker Gono tried to influence lawmakers from the majority party by offering them luxury vehicles. They said Tsvangirai Thursday ordered MDC MPs not to accept such vehicles following an incident in which MPs booed Deputy Prime Minister Thokozane Khupe when she urged them to turn down Gono's offer.
MDC sources said Tsvangirai has already sent a letter to Mr. Mugabe urging him to swear in Bennett and resolve issues still outstanding eight weeks after the government's launch.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti, secretary general of Tsvangirai’s MDC formation, told reporter Blessing Zulu of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that residual hardline elements in ZANU-PF have stirring up controversy over Bennett, who is free on bail and still facing charges.
Pretoria-based political analyst Sydney Masamvu of the International Crisis Group said some elements in ZANU-PF are not comfortable with the new political dispensation in Harare. -VOA.
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