The media is awash with stories about the forthcoming election. Mugabe started it all by announcing that he was ‘sick and tired’ of the GNU and he wants an election sooner rather than later, with or without a new constitution. Is he politicking? Yes, of course. He’s testing the water. He’s testing the ZANU PF water and the MDC water to see how they respond to this initiative.
This weekend we heard that Mnangagwa, the erstwhile sometimes quoted to be ‘next ZANU PF president’ tells his audience that ‘we will not allow the MDC to win an election’. He bases this on the idea that to do so would be to negate the work of the freedom fighters who won independence in 1980 and who wanted to see a rich and successful Zimbabwe. In short, he is saying that if the MDC win, then there will be a coup of some kind.
I took an on-line read of the Zimbabwean newspaper published daily in the UK. Published there because it cannot be published here, although frequently I have seen it being sold on the streets of Harare. They have several stories of speculative interest. The first is that the police have been instructed that the 4th of December is the day when fresh violence will be directed at MDC supporters and that they will not, under any circumstances, investigate these incidents when they occur. A second is that ZANU PF is targeting the Minister of Finance, Tendai Biti of the MDC, and will soon accuse him of corruption and theft of monies from the national exchequer. He will then be arrested and incarcerated until shortly before the elections when he will be released for lack of evidence. This will ensure that the MDC is pre-occupied with his arrest and detention and efforts to secure his release, in similar circumstances to the arrests some years ago of Morgan Tsvangirayi for ‘Treason’.
Hmmmm! It will be interesting to see whether these forecasts have any substance. But they do sound so typical of ZANU PF election strategy.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Golden Parachutes Zimbabwe Style
For several years I have watched in amazement as Zimbabwean Chief Executives of under-performing companies are sent off into the sunset with magnificent ‘packages’. This week we have the best of them all. Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has been under-performing for years. In truth, ZESA has been responsible for a large slice of the collapsed economy through its inability to provide power to agriculture, commerce and industry. Gold and Asbestos mines have closed due to flooding due to lack of power to pump out water from the workings; factories have closed due to lack of power to run machinery. Irrigated crops have not been grown because of the inability to pump water. And ordinary homes are subject to load shedding of mammoth proportions. In 1994 ZESA employed 2,500 people. By 2010 they were employing 8,500 people. Preventive maintenance that used to be done in the old (Rhodesia) days does not happen anymore. A short ride, walk or drive around the suburbs will reveal hundreds of trees infringing on the power lines. Close to where I Iive there are power lines dragging on the ground that have been that way for as long as I can remember. Business has had to invest in emergency generating capacity, import millions of litres of petrol and diesel to run them. When I asked John Robertson, the economist, how much had been spent on ‘emergency’ power supplies his response was ‘enough to build another power station’.
So with this kind of history, it is natural to blame the Chief Executive. I mean who else is responsible? This week the CEO of ZESA was awarded a $2 million exit package for his contribution to the nation! That’s 14 million Rand. There are few pople working in ZESA who will earn that kind of money in a lifetime. And where’s the money coming from? Where else but the consumer. It is not right – it is evil.
So with this kind of history, it is natural to blame the Chief Executive. I mean who else is responsible? This week the CEO of ZESA was awarded a $2 million exit package for his contribution to the nation! That’s 14 million Rand. There are few pople working in ZESA who will earn that kind of money in a lifetime. And where’s the money coming from? Where else but the consumer. It is not right – it is evil.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Democracy In Africa? Never in a thousand years!
There have been many reports of late about the Constitutional Outreach Programme (COPAC) that started off with what was called ‘The Kariba Draft’. The Kariba Draft was the brainchild of ZANU PF some years ago when they crafted what they believed should be a new constitution for Zimbabwe while on a weekend at Kariba.
The Kariba Draft, designed to keep ZANU PF in power for ever, was rejected by the MDC and as a consequence COPAC was dreamed up, whereby ‘the people’ would be ‘consulted’.
But ZANU PF acted predictably and the COPAC process has been abused, ZANU PF sent in their cadres (a euphemism really for ‘terrorists’) to every planned COPAC meeting to ensure that the people being consulted would only tell the assessors what they are ‘permitted’ (by ZANU PF) to say. Should we be surprised?
Nelson Chamisa, the MDC Party Spokesman has now described the operation as having been done ‘nicodemously’ which they should have known long ago, is the only way ZANU PF operates.
I am reminded of the Pearce Commission meeting at Birchenough Bridge in 1972 when ‘the people’ were being consulted on the Pearce Commission proposals. I was there. Clearly trouble was expected, but in the end, there was none as the people performed exactly as was required.
The Pearce Commissioners made a speech to the gathered thousands from Mutema Tribal Trust Lands which was dutifully interpreted by an interpreter while the crowd, squatting on the ground, shuffled impatiently. Clearly no-one was really listening. They were waiting for the ‘vote’ that was to come. In the background were the ‘heavies’ watching over the crowd. They were easily identifiable. This was in the days before the war had taken hold. The heavies were not terrorists with heavy machine guns. They were ‘nationalists’ supporting the cause of the then ZANU, predecessor to today’s ZANU PF. They knew what had to be done. The Pearce Proposals had to be rejected and to ensure that happened, they spent weeks indoctrinating the local people, telling them what to say and what not say with threats of death if they misbehaved. We knew that. The Rhodesian Government knew that. But the pretence at ‘consultation’ had to take place because the Brits demanded it.
After a long speech in the sweltering sun, the Commissioner in Charge asked for a vote: “Who is in favour of these proposals”, he asked? I watched as several hands stretched up tentatively while the owners looked around furtively to see if this was the OK thing to do. It wasn’t. The heavies at the back screamed ‘No, no, no, no’. The upstretched hands shot down again.
“And who is against these proposals”, asked the commissioner?
The hands went up as directed and shouts of ‘No, no, no, no, no” reverberated round the grounds.
And in this way the Pearce Commission published its report that ‘Africans overwhelmingly rejected the proposals’ That’s how Africa operates. You’d think that a few people round here would know. Morgan Tsvangirayi for one, Jacob Zuma for another. Democracy does not exist in Africa. The rulers rule by fear and now by the barrel of the ubiquitous AK 47. Not by consent. Never by consent – never in a thousand years. Could it possibly be that I could be proved wrong?
The Kariba Draft, designed to keep ZANU PF in power for ever, was rejected by the MDC and as a consequence COPAC was dreamed up, whereby ‘the people’ would be ‘consulted’.
But ZANU PF acted predictably and the COPAC process has been abused, ZANU PF sent in their cadres (a euphemism really for ‘terrorists’) to every planned COPAC meeting to ensure that the people being consulted would only tell the assessors what they are ‘permitted’ (by ZANU PF) to say. Should we be surprised?
Nelson Chamisa, the MDC Party Spokesman has now described the operation as having been done ‘nicodemously’ which they should have known long ago, is the only way ZANU PF operates.
I am reminded of the Pearce Commission meeting at Birchenough Bridge in 1972 when ‘the people’ were being consulted on the Pearce Commission proposals. I was there. Clearly trouble was expected, but in the end, there was none as the people performed exactly as was required.
The Pearce Commissioners made a speech to the gathered thousands from Mutema Tribal Trust Lands which was dutifully interpreted by an interpreter while the crowd, squatting on the ground, shuffled impatiently. Clearly no-one was really listening. They were waiting for the ‘vote’ that was to come. In the background were the ‘heavies’ watching over the crowd. They were easily identifiable. This was in the days before the war had taken hold. The heavies were not terrorists with heavy machine guns. They were ‘nationalists’ supporting the cause of the then ZANU, predecessor to today’s ZANU PF. They knew what had to be done. The Pearce Proposals had to be rejected and to ensure that happened, they spent weeks indoctrinating the local people, telling them what to say and what not say with threats of death if they misbehaved. We knew that. The Rhodesian Government knew that. But the pretence at ‘consultation’ had to take place because the Brits demanded it.
After a long speech in the sweltering sun, the Commissioner in Charge asked for a vote: “Who is in favour of these proposals”, he asked? I watched as several hands stretched up tentatively while the owners looked around furtively to see if this was the OK thing to do. It wasn’t. The heavies at the back screamed ‘No, no, no, no’. The upstretched hands shot down again.
“And who is against these proposals”, asked the commissioner?
The hands went up as directed and shouts of ‘No, no, no, no, no” reverberated round the grounds.
And in this way the Pearce Commission published its report that ‘Africans overwhelmingly rejected the proposals’ That’s how Africa operates. You’d think that a few people round here would know. Morgan Tsvangirayi for one, Jacob Zuma for another. Democracy does not exist in Africa. The rulers rule by fear and now by the barrel of the ubiquitous AK 47. Not by consent. Never by consent – never in a thousand years. Could it possibly be that I could be proved wrong?
Corruption in the Business Sector
This week I have read about the impending collapse of three of Zimbabwe’s better known companies. All on the same day. Lobels Bakeries – Lobels Bread being a household name in this country for as long as I can remember – has gone to the wall. The company was handed over to ‘The Workers’ about 18 months or so ago and the word at the beginning of the week was that the equipment was old and uncompetitive with the production methods of today. Later in the week we learn that an audit report discovered some $7.5 million has been misappropriated by top management, siphoned out of the company by way of fictitious ‘suppliers’ of flour.
Another household name for as long as I can remember is ’Kingston’s Stationers’. Now Kingston’s Holdings. The company was bought shortly after independence by ZANU PF but when the ZANU PF ‘business’ wheels were falling off it was transformed into a ‘parastatal’. Monday we are told that 1.7 million has been siphoned off by top management. Once again, fraudulent ‘suppliers’ have been paid for goods that were never supplied. The board is busy taking the accused to court.
Next on the list is ZUPCO – ‘Zimbabwe United Passenger Company’. The company provided the only bus fleet in the old Rhodesia and has been wading through crocodiles for the past twenty years as old rolling stock gradually fell into disrepair, was replaced briefly by new omnibuses funded by government that soon went the same way. Their last attempt at rejuvenation was to purchase a fleet of busses from China with the name of FAW – which the locals soon dubbed ‘For a Week (Only)’ as that was the life of the average machine. Now ZUPCO has been advised to lay off 400 staff but in the labour environment in Zimbabwe today this means in effect, bankruptcy. Air Zimbabwe knows all about this having attempted to lay off 500 staff earlier this year only to find the arbitration courts refused to permit and AZ had to take them all back. AZ has experienced a pilot’s strike for the past three weeks, the pilots claiming that they have not been paid their allowances since February 2009. That appears to be resolved for the time being with the pilots returning to work having been made various promises. And the rumour mill has it that AZ is in the market for 2 new Airbus A600 machines with pilots currently under training. If true, there must be some kind of nefarious deal taking place here.
To round off the week’s business review we are told that Sable Chemicals owes ZESA – the electricity supply authority – over 22 million dollars. ZESA saw fit to cut them off only to be told by government to re-instate their supply. We are told ‘on good authority’ that government owes Sable over 14 million – presumably for the supply of fertiliser handed out to ‘new farmers’.
Another household name for as long as I can remember is ’Kingston’s Stationers’. Now Kingston’s Holdings. The company was bought shortly after independence by ZANU PF but when the ZANU PF ‘business’ wheels were falling off it was transformed into a ‘parastatal’. Monday we are told that 1.7 million has been siphoned off by top management. Once again, fraudulent ‘suppliers’ have been paid for goods that were never supplied. The board is busy taking the accused to court.
Next on the list is ZUPCO – ‘Zimbabwe United Passenger Company’. The company provided the only bus fleet in the old Rhodesia and has been wading through crocodiles for the past twenty years as old rolling stock gradually fell into disrepair, was replaced briefly by new omnibuses funded by government that soon went the same way. Their last attempt at rejuvenation was to purchase a fleet of busses from China with the name of FAW – which the locals soon dubbed ‘For a Week (Only)’ as that was the life of the average machine. Now ZUPCO has been advised to lay off 400 staff but in the labour environment in Zimbabwe today this means in effect, bankruptcy. Air Zimbabwe knows all about this having attempted to lay off 500 staff earlier this year only to find the arbitration courts refused to permit and AZ had to take them all back. AZ has experienced a pilot’s strike for the past three weeks, the pilots claiming that they have not been paid their allowances since February 2009. That appears to be resolved for the time being with the pilots returning to work having been made various promises. And the rumour mill has it that AZ is in the market for 2 new Airbus A600 machines with pilots currently under training. If true, there must be some kind of nefarious deal taking place here.
To round off the week’s business review we are told that Sable Chemicals owes ZESA – the electricity supply authority – over 22 million dollars. ZESA saw fit to cut them off only to be told by government to re-instate their supply. We are told ‘on good authority’ that government owes Sable over 14 million – presumably for the supply of fertiliser handed out to ‘new farmers’.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
In a Lawless State
You can get away with theft: -
Christopher Tande, founder of Time Bank says information was stolen from the bank when it was under curatorship, prejudicing the financial institution of $30 mln. The bank also claimed that the financial institution’s central computer system was tampered with.
Placed under curatorship by the RBZ in October 2006 the bank was subsequently deregistered after the curatorship, a decision the bank management successfully challenged in the Administrative Court last year and the bank is expected to re-open in October.
Tande accused the police of dragging their feet on the 2 cases involving the theft and break-ins at the bank. The letter was copied to senior police officers, the Attorney-General’s Office, the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission. Key data, including sealed envelopes containing security codes and a register of the password holders were stolen during the break-ins while the suspected perpetrators have not been brought to justice.
Tande alleged that while police had turned a blind eye to the break-ins and theft, counter charges by suspects in the cases were allegedly being treated with “great zeal” You can guess to which political party the peretrators belong and where they are employed.
And you can also get away with murder: -
AG Johannes Tomana has ignored a document detailing 197 politically-related murders submitted to him by PM Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T party. Tomana said he did not take the report seriously because his office was the wrong one to submit such a document to.
The MDC sent a list in October last year of “unreported” murder cases which were committed between April and December 2008 to Tomana asking him to ensure that the cases were prosecuted. According to the MDC, reports were made to the police, but references were not given to the complainants.
So what does one do in Zimbabwe to get the authorities to investigate reported murders?
Christopher Tande, founder of Time Bank says information was stolen from the bank when it was under curatorship, prejudicing the financial institution of $30 mln. The bank also claimed that the financial institution’s central computer system was tampered with.
Placed under curatorship by the RBZ in October 2006 the bank was subsequently deregistered after the curatorship, a decision the bank management successfully challenged in the Administrative Court last year and the bank is expected to re-open in October.
Tande accused the police of dragging their feet on the 2 cases involving the theft and break-ins at the bank. The letter was copied to senior police officers, the Attorney-General’s Office, the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission. Key data, including sealed envelopes containing security codes and a register of the password holders were stolen during the break-ins while the suspected perpetrators have not been brought to justice.
Tande alleged that while police had turned a blind eye to the break-ins and theft, counter charges by suspects in the cases were allegedly being treated with “great zeal” You can guess to which political party the peretrators belong and where they are employed.
And you can also get away with murder: -
AG Johannes Tomana has ignored a document detailing 197 politically-related murders submitted to him by PM Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T party. Tomana said he did not take the report seriously because his office was the wrong one to submit such a document to.
The MDC sent a list in October last year of “unreported” murder cases which were committed between April and December 2008 to Tomana asking him to ensure that the cases were prosecuted. According to the MDC, reports were made to the police, but references were not given to the complainants.
So what does one do in Zimbabwe to get the authorities to investigate reported murders?
Friday, August 6, 2010
To Hell with the West
There has been a public political spat going on this week. Last Sunday Sabina Mugabe was buried at Heroes Acre, Sabina being the late 80 year old sister of Robert and thus being automatically declared a Public Hero – this also to the chagrin of the MDC who believe that as ‘senior’ partners in the GNU they should be consulted on who should or should not be declared a Public Hero – and they weren’t.
Nonetheless as is Mugabe’s wont, he chose to politicise the occasion by slamming the already much maligned Western Bloc for refusing to lift ‘economic sanctions’. “To hell, to hell, to hell with them” declared Mugabe.
Of course this was a Public occasion and all the diplomats, including western diplomats, had been invited to attend and pay their respects. The Americans, the Greeks, the Germans and the EU Charge d’Affairs waited until the end of Mugabe’s speech, then walked out of the ceremony. Not surprising really. America is the largest donor to Zimbabwe. Germany follows close behind and the EU , despite being a primary donor of aid has been the instigator of ‘sanctions’ against Mugabe and his clique of thieves.
But not to be outdone, the Foreign Affairs minister – Simbarashe Mubengegwe, chose to summon the ambassadors to his offices to give them a dressing down for being ‘disrespectful’. What could be more disrespectful than choosing the burial ceremony as a time to publicly humiliate those paying their last respects to a woman who, some years ago, stole a farm in the Norton area because she liked the farmhouse?
On another note, Temba Mliswa is still in jail!
Nonetheless as is Mugabe’s wont, he chose to politicise the occasion by slamming the already much maligned Western Bloc for refusing to lift ‘economic sanctions’. “To hell, to hell, to hell with them” declared Mugabe.
Of course this was a Public occasion and all the diplomats, including western diplomats, had been invited to attend and pay their respects. The Americans, the Greeks, the Germans and the EU Charge d’Affairs waited until the end of Mugabe’s speech, then walked out of the ceremony. Not surprising really. America is the largest donor to Zimbabwe. Germany follows close behind and the EU , despite being a primary donor of aid has been the instigator of ‘sanctions’ against Mugabe and his clique of thieves.
But not to be outdone, the Foreign Affairs minister – Simbarashe Mubengegwe, chose to summon the ambassadors to his offices to give them a dressing down for being ‘disrespectful’. What could be more disrespectful than choosing the burial ceremony as a time to publicly humiliate those paying their last respects to a woman who, some years ago, stole a farm in the Norton area because she liked the farmhouse?
On another note, Temba Mliswa is still in jail!
Friday, July 9, 2010
A Chicken Comes Home to Roost?
It’s worth extracting a verbatim report from Zimbabwe’s Herald on the recent fate of Temba Mliswa. I remember well Temba Mliswa all those years ago now when he was full of hate speech for the whites in Zimbabwe and how he effectively destroyed national rugby in the late nineties. Now his former political friends have turned against him and his future is uncertain:
“Police have charged a ZANU PF politician with defrauding two white farmers of more than US$20 million worth of property including tractors, vehicles, cows and bulls in a case that gives a rare glimpse into how members of President Robert Mugabe’s party looted white farms.
The government has never prosecuted ZANU PF politicians for pillaging white-owned farms and the charges against Temba Mliswa – a member of the party’s Mashonaland provincial executive until his recent suspension – appear a result of his public clash with powerful Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri.
Mliswa, a close relative of ZANU PF politburo member and Presidential Affairs Minister Didymus Mutasa, last week attacked Chihuri in newspapers, labelling the police chief one of the most corrupt men as the two wrangled over shares in a white-owned car firm that the police say Mliswa attempted to acquire fraudulently.
Mliswa was last week arrested over the car firm shares said to be worth around US$1 million. He was released on Monday only to be arrested the same day on fresh charges of fraud allegedly committed between 2004 and 2006, the height of Mugabe’s chaotic farm redistribution programme that saw white farmers losing land, equipment and nearly everything else they owned to ZANU PF politicians and members of the security forces.
And the latest charge sheet prepared by the police against Mliswa is the clearest example yet of how Mugabe’s allies helped themselves to farms and property without paying a single cent all in the name of restoring land to poor blacks from whom it was allegedly stolen by white settlers.
According to the police, Mliswa, who returns to court today for his continuing bail application, sometime in 2004 approached Jacobs Van De Merwe, whose Orib Park Farm in Karoi had been listed for compulsory acquisition by the government, and told the farmer that he could help sell his movable property and equipment on a 10 percent commission.
Mliswa – a former fitness trainer but now a wealthy businessman and farmer – went on to sell the property that included 104 cows, four bulls, three heavy vehicles, a cold-room, three tractors, one hammer mill, an assortment of irrigation equipment and generators.
He allegedly raised ZW$19 488 500 and a further US$3 644 058 from the sale and converted the cash to his personal use. In the second case said to have been committed in 2006, the politician is alleged to have approached Nick Van Ransburg, a former manager at Dunlop Range Farm near Kwekwe town, and promised to help protect his equipment from seizure but on condition that the two entered an agreement of sale.
But according to the police as soon as the agreement of sale was signed Mliswa went on to grab 300 head of cattle worth US$900 000 and farm equipment which included bulldozers, tractors, lorries, graders, pick-up tracks all valued at US$20 000 million.
He sold the property and kept the proceeds, the police charge. Mliswa’s lawyer, Charles Chinyama was not immediately available for comment on the matter but in a letter to Chihuri shown to ZimOnline, the lawyer accused the police of bringing charges against his client in instalments. “We notice that the police are bringing all allegations by way of instalments against our client,” said the letter dated July 6, and addressed to Chihuri. “In the interest of finality of litigation, please can we kindly request through your good offices to have the outstanding charges brought to court at once this week.”
Mliswa faces a long jail term if convicted of fraud. But it remains unclear whether a bench staffed by several judges who received former white farms and other property from the government would want to imprison the politician and in the process set what clearly amounts to a very dangerous precedent for all people who benefited from land seizures.
In addition critics say the veteran leader’s cronies in ZANU PF and the security establishment – and not ordinary peasants – benefited the most from farm seizures with some of them ending up with as many as six farms each against the government’s stated one-man-one-farm policy.”
That was all yesterday’s news. Today, Friday the 9th July there is more to report. Mliswa’s was yesterday released on $400.00 bail – a paltry sum in view of the loot he has apparently acquired. But believe it or not he was yesterday immediately re-arrested a third time and charged with a further 30 counts of fraud!
So now he is facing 70+ counts of fraud, all involving the theft of farm implements, stock and probably crops.
Interesting also to note that Tom Beattie, friend and farmer from Chegutu is today reported to be using the courts to try and regain $850,000 worth of farm implements stolen from him by ZANU PF Deputy Minister Bright Matonga with the Minister of Land Reform and resettlement being the second respondent.
Hmmmmmmm. All very interesting.
“Police have charged a ZANU PF politician with defrauding two white farmers of more than US$20 million worth of property including tractors, vehicles, cows and bulls in a case that gives a rare glimpse into how members of President Robert Mugabe’s party looted white farms.
The government has never prosecuted ZANU PF politicians for pillaging white-owned farms and the charges against Temba Mliswa – a member of the party’s Mashonaland provincial executive until his recent suspension – appear a result of his public clash with powerful Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri.
Mliswa, a close relative of ZANU PF politburo member and Presidential Affairs Minister Didymus Mutasa, last week attacked Chihuri in newspapers, labelling the police chief one of the most corrupt men as the two wrangled over shares in a white-owned car firm that the police say Mliswa attempted to acquire fraudulently.
Mliswa was last week arrested over the car firm shares said to be worth around US$1 million. He was released on Monday only to be arrested the same day on fresh charges of fraud allegedly committed between 2004 and 2006, the height of Mugabe’s chaotic farm redistribution programme that saw white farmers losing land, equipment and nearly everything else they owned to ZANU PF politicians and members of the security forces.
And the latest charge sheet prepared by the police against Mliswa is the clearest example yet of how Mugabe’s allies helped themselves to farms and property without paying a single cent all in the name of restoring land to poor blacks from whom it was allegedly stolen by white settlers.
According to the police, Mliswa, who returns to court today for his continuing bail application, sometime in 2004 approached Jacobs Van De Merwe, whose Orib Park Farm in Karoi had been listed for compulsory acquisition by the government, and told the farmer that he could help sell his movable property and equipment on a 10 percent commission.
Mliswa – a former fitness trainer but now a wealthy businessman and farmer – went on to sell the property that included 104 cows, four bulls, three heavy vehicles, a cold-room, three tractors, one hammer mill, an assortment of irrigation equipment and generators.
He allegedly raised ZW$19 488 500 and a further US$3 644 058 from the sale and converted the cash to his personal use. In the second case said to have been committed in 2006, the politician is alleged to have approached Nick Van Ransburg, a former manager at Dunlop Range Farm near Kwekwe town, and promised to help protect his equipment from seizure but on condition that the two entered an agreement of sale.
But according to the police as soon as the agreement of sale was signed Mliswa went on to grab 300 head of cattle worth US$900 000 and farm equipment which included bulldozers, tractors, lorries, graders, pick-up tracks all valued at US$20 000 million.
He sold the property and kept the proceeds, the police charge. Mliswa’s lawyer, Charles Chinyama was not immediately available for comment on the matter but in a letter to Chihuri shown to ZimOnline, the lawyer accused the police of bringing charges against his client in instalments. “We notice that the police are bringing all allegations by way of instalments against our client,” said the letter dated July 6, and addressed to Chihuri. “In the interest of finality of litigation, please can we kindly request through your good offices to have the outstanding charges brought to court at once this week.”
Mliswa faces a long jail term if convicted of fraud. But it remains unclear whether a bench staffed by several judges who received former white farms and other property from the government would want to imprison the politician and in the process set what clearly amounts to a very dangerous precedent for all people who benefited from land seizures.
In addition critics say the veteran leader’s cronies in ZANU PF and the security establishment – and not ordinary peasants – benefited the most from farm seizures with some of them ending up with as many as six farms each against the government’s stated one-man-one-farm policy.”
That was all yesterday’s news. Today, Friday the 9th July there is more to report. Mliswa’s was yesterday released on $400.00 bail – a paltry sum in view of the loot he has apparently acquired. But believe it or not he was yesterday immediately re-arrested a third time and charged with a further 30 counts of fraud!
So now he is facing 70+ counts of fraud, all involving the theft of farm implements, stock and probably crops.
Interesting also to note that Tom Beattie, friend and farmer from Chegutu is today reported to be using the courts to try and regain $850,000 worth of farm implements stolen from him by ZANU PF Deputy Minister Bright Matonga with the Minister of Land Reform and resettlement being the second respondent.
Hmmmmmmm. All very interesting.
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