New Zimbabwe : Political Sphere

High Court judge Justice Bharat Patel had dismissed an application by Joubert Mudzumwe challenging Ncube’s ascendancy to the top post at the party’s congress last year. But lawyers representing Mudzumwe — Mbidzo, Muchadehama & Makoni — filed a notice of appeal at the Supreme Court saying Justice Patel misdirected himself when he made the ruling. They argued that the ruling was based on a misinterpretation of the MDC constitution. “The learned High Court judge misdirected himself, such misdirection amounting to a misdirection of law in his interpretation of the 1st respondent (MDC)’s constitution,” reads part of the notice. “The learned judge erred in holding that 2nd respondent had complied with the mandatory provision of the 1st respondent’s constitution. “The High Court misdirected itself in that proper elections were held. It is also submitted that in any event the elections were presided over by a person who was not constitutionally authorised to do so, thus

Somizi Mhlongo picture courtesy of You Magazine Homosexuality is unAfrican ? Somizi Mhlongo is one person who has came out to challenge this heated debate on a television program Interface .His views are that,homosexuality is birth oriented and therefore people are not supposed to charge other people as this is their personal right.With a new constitution in South Africa which recognises gay marriages ,Somizi feels empowered ,"i dont care what other people say about my being gay  ,people can kill this body but my spirit is gay............i dont give a sh**t!"said this in a disgusted manner on national television. Homosexuality in Zimbabwe is totally un acceptable ,and is viewed as dirty ,gross by the society ,immoral decay by the religious leaders .

Constitution Select Committee  logo , courtesy of Newsday paper 22/05/12 Fresh fights have erupted in Constitution making process COPAC, amid the revelations  that ZANU-PF is pushing for the removal of the constitutional  court,devolution while seeking the absolute powers for the President in the new charter. Reports by the Newsday paper suggests that ZANU-PF spoke person ,Rugare Gumbo confirmed that they had came up with a new proposal to the court and which the two MDC formations could not agree on.The party instead proposed that the constitution should be replaced by a Supreme court division . In its 29 page  proposal on the draft of the new governance charter to COPAC,ZANU-PF is also seeking to two vice-presidents allegedly to balance its politics ethics .Such outstanding issues had drawn back the constitution process which will see it taking time to accomplish irregardless of the pending elections.

GNU 2008 .Picture courtesy of Google images GNU on cards.It is thought that elections are the best way to achieve democracy.In Zimbabwe? certainly not .Another Government of National Unity is thought to be on cards  following the pending announcement  scheduled any time this year by President Mugabe ,in spite of the daunting  constitution making process,hence compromised democracy.It is for this reason that the elections as means to democracy is  meaning less and a fruitless effort which brings about undemocratic practices.

Theodore Roosevelt .Photo wikipedia vol 1 The pen is something mightier than words.The first investigative journalists were known as Muckrakers. Writers whose exposés of corruption in business and government aroused public opinion and helped spur Progressive-Era reforms. Theodore Roosevelt popularized the term in a 14 April 1906 speech, in which he compared them to the Man with the Muck-rake in Banyan's Pilgrim's Progress, who remained so intent on raking the filth at his feet that he failed to look up and behold the celestial crown. Likewise, Roosevelt argued, the muckrakers remained so focused on the evils in society they failed to reaffirm the vision of America's promise. The usage stuck, and henceforth the term was applied to all those engaged in. It may be a "cliché" in Zimbabwe as  the investigative enterprise might bring a cost-cost out comes .The journalist might be arrested or left exposed to dangers while the culprit is left scot free,there

Prime Minister :Morgan Tsvangirai.Photo courtesy of News day . The  post of the Prime Minister will be scrapped  under the new constitution while the Presidential powers will be trimmed,this report is given by the COPAC constitution making  body which includes MDC-T , Mwonnzora,ZANU-PF Paul Mangwana and  MDC ,Edward Makhosi.On separate interviews with the papers ,yesterday ,the select committee hinted that the new governance charter will slash the bloated Cabinet by over a half ,from  the current 74% to between 25%to 30 % posts . This comes before the much awaited report from the COPAC on the constitution making process.The scrapping of the Prime minister post is due to the reason that it creates ,other many posts for example the Deputy Prime minister posts .The prime minister post  did not find support from the people there fore it is reasonable to scrape it from the new constitution.MDC T leader Morgan Tsvangirai currently occupies the prime minister post.

 Macky Sall.Photo courtesy of BBC  International  community hails Senegal  elections according to BBC reports. Darka. Abdoulaye Wade conceded defeat peacefully  to Macky Sall on a run off on Sunday.It has been viewed as a mature action and hailed by different members of the States in Africa and beyond.The African Union said Wade's action showed maturity in the country's democracy in Senegal and will set a good example to Africa as a whole.A spoke person for EU foreign policy  was quoted by AFP saying "it is a great victory for democracy in Senegal and Africa as a whole". The good news comes just after the Mali military coup.I suppose this marks a new turn in the issue of democracy  in Africa as whole too.How ever this being the case there is no guarantee that some African countries who are in the process of carrying out elections will oblige to what Wade has done.It is difficult to concede defeat and some presidents who had been holding power for so long

Police officers at Runde,2012.Picture by Giza. Police in Ruwa  yesterday banned an MDC rally scheduled to take place at Mavambo shopping cent re,. organized by organising party and secretary leader Nelson Chamisa,claiming they had no enough man power as the bulk of them would be on duty on the Dynamos and Moto Action game. Reports by the Daily news suggests that the MDC-T provincial secretary had been cleared by the police on Wednesday to conduct the rally but was served with a cancellation letter on Saturday. Parties have started campaigning for the 2012 presidential elections which are expected early this year.Such disturbances were the characteristics of  previous harmonized elections where police flogged supporters of certain parties and banned them. Their reason  of canceling the rally is totally unjustifiable as the whole lot of police can not  be said  go to the stadium as if people were rioting.This means that there is still no sanity in issues of the police as the ap

Cairo Tarhia Squire .Photo.Courtesy of BBC News international Egypt presidential hopefuls are said to rush for the presidential elections ,registrations according to Newsday,this morning.Candidates in what is billed as the first elections free and fair election in Egptian history were given a chance to register on Sartuday ,more than a year after the ouster of Hosni Mubarak from office. Voting will be held over  two days  starting on 23 May and will go  to a second run off if there in no outright winner.  The election will make a final transition to civilian rule from the military council which took over after Mubarak's rule ended on February. Candidates who have prefered to run includes the high profile figure such as Mubarak's prime minister,Ahmed Shahif ,Arab league Amr Moussa and an extreme Muslim  Brotherhood Abdel Moneim Abol Fotoh. Analysts say the out come is difficult to predict although Moussa may have an edge.Such speculation are problematic ,i think .

HARARE - South Africa says it will not allow President Robert Mugabe to unilaterally call elections before a new constitution and democratic reforms are in place as demanded by Sadc, a stance that has escalated a war that has already been raging between Mugabe and President Jacob Zuma. photo courtesy SABC South African Foreign Affairs minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane told his country’s Parliament yesterday that Mugabe no-longer wielded authority to call for an election without long-delayed reforms as required by other coalition partners and the region. But one of Mugabe’s most senior and trusted party officials Didymus Mutasa immediately hit back and told the Daily News yesterday that the South Africans can go to hell as his boss will pronounce an election date with or without a new constitution. “Those remain South Africa’s opinions. We are a sovereign state with a president who is mandated by the constitution to call for an election when he thinks it is appropriate,” said Mutasa.

Graig Emerson :picture courtesy of AFP Australia's federal government said yesterday it was dropping 82 Zimbabwean   official sanctions from financial to travel sanctions ,but maintained a ban on gun-running with Harare and barring children listed individuals from studying there. Australian's acting foreign minister Graig Emerson said the move recognises that Zimbabwe is  taking important steps to wards democratisation.Emerson 's contention that adult children of listed individuals continue to be prohibited from studying in Australia is likely to stoke tensions in Zanu PF. "We will continue to uphold this until there is democracy and respect of rule of law",he was quoted saying on live wire on Sunday. Australia, one of the major donor assistance on humanitarian  to Zimbabwe ,said it is was scaling up aid. "We want to see Zimbabwe get back to its feet so that  its economy can prosper,its society freer,fairer and democratic",said Emerson. In

Wade arrives for a public declaration in 2007.photo AFP       Elected as Senegal  president in April  2000,Abdoulaye Wade,has decided to seek a third term in the February 26 presidential  elections.The constitution limits heads of states to two terms in office but the judges  ruled Mr Wade's first term did not count as this was before the limit was introduced. Senegal has headed to a run off after a heated first round elections against Macky Sall.His seeking of a third term in office has lead to bloody demonstrations the country has ever experienced in its history.Such instances are typical of African presidents who cling on to power even if it is clear their public s dont need them.DRC,among others has faced these problems. Wade casting his vote .photo AFP

The Commander in Chief and the Zanu PF cadre Comrade Robert Mugabe says he is ready for the polls,slams violence.On Satrtuday he  called for his supporters to avoid violence in elections,he says should happen this year and that his party Zanu PF is poised to win resoundingly. He told supporters at a rally for his 88th birthday that the time has come to make up with the MDC with whom he was forced to share power after the disputed elections of 2008. ''We used to fight each other ,but time has come for us to do politics in a much cultured way'',he said in an hour long address at a stadium in Mutare . ''Although our differences our differences are political,we shouldnt regard them as a source of hatred.No .No violence,no violence.'' Mugabe ,who has held power since independence in 1980,has become a pariah in the West ,blamed for running the Zimbabwean economy down and the abuse of human rights ,through violence,and farm invasions. This move b

photographer Remi Ochlik killed ;photo, Reuters Anti government crack down continues in Syria earlier this week .Anti activists reports has revealed that 12 people have been killed and 100 injured on Tuesday when the government troops fired live bullets to unarmed civilians. The town of  Homs  has been under siege where most reports by the BBC suggests that there has been heavy artillery shelling of the city of Homs by the Syrian armed forces. International community is watching closely on this issue of human rights abuses by the Syrian government on its people The killing of the two western journalists,on Wednesday has raised eyebrows from the entire world.The two were killed when a shell bomb hit their base where they were working. This has proven that the Syrian government has no respect for the human rights,later on killing its own people.The Syrian government lashes on the media on an attempt to cover up its injustices,typical of the dictatorship of the  government o

file photo Harare. President Mugabe on Friday criticized the Eu's decision to maintain sanctions  against the country's leadership and accused it of trying to topple its leader. The Eu's 27 member state extended an arms embargo and a freeze on development aid for Zimbabwe for another six months. They did how ever remove a third of other people affect on assets freeze and company bans doing business with 20 Zimbabwe entities. This move by the Eu is to  still monitor  the move of the government of Zimbabwe in conducting the elections this year.The government remains isolated ,as the president is still restricted from the international community.I think the Eu knows that if they slacken the targeted sanctions a little bit ,this will give room for some diamond trade  business ,so that the economy remains put in a way.

Feeding scheme:Chikomba Primary School.photo by World Vision The GNU should focus on food provisions rather than votes.An elderly ,Mrs Joice Chirwande of Charamba village in Chikomba says the coalition government should focus on food security in the country rather than votes while the ruling party is busy clamoring for the 2012 elections . It looks like the rains are only pounding the Harare surrounding areas while most of the country are dry. As most of the crops wilt due to high temperatures and erratic rainfall ,villagers in this part of the Mashonaland  East province think their plight will escalate if polls are held this year. The fear that if elections are held under same conditions as those of 2008 , violence can erupt with torture camps re-assembled. "2008 was a bad year .We suffered violent elections and hunger with no food ,we suffered a lot ",said  Chirwande as she looked at her lifeless maize field.Previous elections held in 2008 left at l

Villagers at Mawabeni irrigation scheme :File photo :02/02/2012    The government of Zimbabwe has emarked on an imput distribution scheme,which includes fertilisers and seeds to subsistent farmers, a move to improve harvest.Political analysis has snubbed this program as an endeavor to ganner extensive votes for the 2012 pending elections early this year.