Day of drama in Harare – June 23rd 2008

June 23, 2008 · Filed under Zimbabwe Elections 2008

Day of drama in Harare
By Farai Sevenzo
 
It was inevitable something dramatic would have to happen.
The electoral playing field had become so one-sided, the incidents of violence and murder against his supporters so widespread, that Morgan Tsvangirai had to do something.
On Sunday afternoon he called a press conference in his Strathaven home in Harare’s central suburbs and announced that his party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was pulling out of the presidential run-off scheduled for Friday, 27 June.
 
In the week preceding this announcement, the city had become numbed by the ongoing violence and ruling party Zanu-PF’s brand of aggressive campaigning.
Whole constituencies comfortably won in the 29 March poll were being overrun by Zanu-PF’s youth militias. Mob rule reigned even in the townships.
Those affiliated with the opposition – elected MPs, councillors, organising secretaries, activists – were being systematically targeted.
 
I visited houses that were stoned and ruined, burned to ashes, and the families of such officials were seen as targets too.
One youth was dragged out of his councillor relative’s home in Chitungwiza, a satellite town south of Harare, and the axe used to break down their door was embedded in his skull. An opposition mayor had his young wife kidnapped and murdered.
It was against this background that Sunday promised something dramatic from the opposition.
 
Rally hopes dashed
Despite their Secretary General, Tendai Biti, appearing in leg irons at the high court last Friday, MDC supporters were hoping that one rally in Harare, which the authorities had granted permission for through the High Court, would go ahead.
But it was not to be.
The ruling party headquarters was filled with militant youth spoiling for a fight and the location for the rally, a wide open space nearby, behind what used to be the Sheraton Hotel, was filled with police officers in riot gear.
 
With the rally not going ahead as Mr Tsvangirai prepared to announce his decision to pull out, the militant Zanu-PF youths went on the rampage and beat people in the centre of town.
For just under an hour, tear gas fired by police drifted along Samora Machel Avenue, and passing cars were stoned. A text started doing the rounds from around 1200 GMT: “Avoid Samora Machel and Borrowdale road big riot underway police with teargas army zanu thugs stoning cars mdc uprising at rally.”
 
Mr Tsvangirai listed many reasons for his decision. Among them the obvious fact that his campaign has been frustrated at every turn, that he has had no access to the state broadcaster, his only means to speak to the people.
The MDC says three-quarters of the country is no longer accessible to its election agents and campaigners, “war veterans” having set up bases and roadblocks which make it impossible for anyone from the opposition to move freely.
 
The opposition says 75 activists have been murdered since the first election on 29 March and 200,000 people displaced amid appalling levels of violence.
“Zanu-PF has no respect for SADC (Southern Africa Development Community), for the AU (African Union), for the UN, for anybody,” said one party official.
 
‘Bloody campaign’
Tineyi Munetsi, MDC organising secretary for Chitungwiza, rang me from Mr Tsvangirai’s house and I asked him what he thought of the decision to pull out.
“I believe it is the right decision,” he answered. “For the last week it was my task to organise polling agents for the rural constituencies, and they are all being targeted.
“There is not a single area we can campaign in, even the townships are closed. And think of how many of our people have been murdered. This is not an election, this is a war, and we will not legitimise it by taking part in what is a farce.”
 
Mr Munetsi also alleged that the MDC had discovered plans for massive ballot-rigging.
“Look here, people are being told that after they vote they have to write down the serial numbers of their ballot papers so the fake election monitors can cross-reference them to who they voted for.”
 
As for ordinary Hararians, a snap poll on the streets and on the phone revealed little knowledge of the opposition leader’s decision to pull out of the presidential race.
“You’re not serious, why did he do that?” said a woman selling fruit in the winter sun.
 
Stella in Highfields agrees with the decision. “We are being made into their goats and livestock, being herded here and there, forced to wear their T-shirts, asked [to chant] the Zanu-PF slogan which is ‘June 27, Mugabe in office by force’, and losing our relatives to their bloody campaign.”
 
The drama of this story is far from over, and the pleas for international action and intervention may get louder, but there is little sign that the party which prides itself on its tactics of war and its own brand of persuasion will be listening.

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Tsvangirai seeks embassy refuge

June 23, 2008 · Filed under Zimbabwe Elections 2008

 Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has taken refuge in the Dutch embassy in Harare, officials say.
The move comes a day after he announced he was withdrawing from the 27 June presidential elections in the face of violence from ruling party militias.
 
A Dutch foreign ministry spokesman told Reuters news agency Mr Tsvangirai had spent the night at the Dutch embassy but had not requested asylum.
Zimbabwean officials have said a run-off election will still go ahead.
On Monday, more than 60 supporters of Mr Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party were arrested at its Harare headquarters.
 
 
 
Zimbabwean elections to go ahead
 
Zimbabwean officials have said a run-off presidential election will go ahead, despite the withdrawal of opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai.
Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said Mr Tsvangirai’s announcement was a ruse – he had not sent a formal notice yet.
 
Mr Tsvangirai said he would quit to curb violence by ruling party militias he says killed 86 of his supporters.
More than 60 opposition supporters have been arrested at the Harare office of Mr Tsvangirai’s party, it says.
 
Movement for Democratic Change spokesman Nelson Chamisa said those arrested were women and children who had fled political violence.
But Mr Chamisa said the ruling Zanu-PF’s militias should be disbanded, adding that his party had received no direct approaches from mediators since the announcement.
The move has sparked international criticism of Zimbabwe’s government. But President Robert Mugabe has blamed the MDC for the recent violence.
 
The leader of neighbouring Zambia, Levy Mwanawasa – who is head of the regional Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) – said a vote held in current conditions would be an “embarrassment” to the region.
Meanwhile, African Union Commission chairman Jean Ping said he was worried about the situation.
“This development and the increasing acts of violence in the run-up to the second round of the presidential election are a matter of grave concern to the Commission of the AU,” he said.
The US and UK have said they are prepared to bring Zimbabwe before the UN Security Council over the election violence.
 
But South African President Thabo Mbeki, who is mediating in the crisis, called for further dialogue.
“From our point of view it is still necessary that the political leadership of Zimbabwe should get together and find a solution to the challenges that face Zimbabwe,” he said.
‘Humiliation fear’
 
Zimbabwe’s electoral commission said that preparations for the election were under way and a credible result was still possible.
Mr Chinamasa said Zanu-PF was not treating Mr Tsvangirai’s “threats” to withdraw seriously.
“This is the 11th time that Tsvangirai has threatened to withdraw from the presidential run-off and on each occasion I have challenged him to put it in writing as required by the law,” he said.
 
Mr Tsvangirai’s announcement of withdrawal was to avoid “humiliation”, he added.
“Tsvangirai went into the election thinking that it was a sprint and was not prepared for a marathon and wants to avoid defeat,” he said.
“He spent his time globe-trotting and gallivanting in Europe and left MDC-T supporters without leadership.”
 
There has been no response from Mr Mugabe himself to Mr Tsvangirai’s announcement.
On Sunday, Mr Tsvangirai said that there was no point running when elections would not be free and fair and “the outcome is determined by… Mugabe himself”.
He said that while the decision had been a difficult one it was necessary to protect the people of Zimbabwe.
 
The opposition’s decision was announced after its supporters, heading to a rally in the capital Harare, came under attack.
Correspondent Peter Biles says Mr Tsvangirai did not want to expose his supporters to any more violence.
He will now be hoping that the SADC will refuse to confer legitimacy on the process, he says.
 
Our correspondent adds that the country’s economic crisis – with unofficial figures putting inflation at 2m% – could drive Zimbabwe’s government to negotiate for a political solution.
The MDC won the parliamentary vote in March, and claims to have won the first round of the presidential contest outright.
In the official results, Mr Tsvangirai led but failed to gain enough votes to avoid a run-off.
 
 [From the Media]
 

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Protected: Political Genocide in Zimbabwe!

May 17, 2008 · Filed under Zimbabwe Elections 2008

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Zimbabwe’s Doctors begin Drumming…

May 16, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , ,

Escalating cases of organised violence and torture, and of intimidation of medical personnel

 

NOTE:  I HAVE SEEN WITH MY OWN EYES AND HEARD WITH MY OWN EARS THE HORRENDOUS TORTURE THE GOVERNMENT AGENTS HAVE ENCOURAGED AND ENDORSED AGAINST THEIR OWN PEOPLE FOR THE LUST OF MAINTAINING POWER.  FIVE VILLAGERS WERE HANGED TO DEATH FROM A TREE, IN FRONT OF THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY, AS A LESSON OF EXAMPLE FOR VOTING AGAINST ZANU PF PARTY.  16 PEOPLE DIED OUT OF ONE FAMILY COMMUNITY AFTER 60 ZANU PF “WAR-VET” AGENTS DROVE THEM ALL INTO A SCHOOL BUILDING THEN BEAT EVERY PERSON, TWO AT A TIME, OUTSIDE.  “When I collected my family in a hired car that evening… I collected dead bodies.  At least some of them have come back to life – thanks to Jesus.”  ANOTHER STATED, LAUGHING AT HIMSELF, “I will have to bring a tractor to plough this season… How can we hold a plough with two broken arms and a broken foot? …besides, they slaughtered my cattle (used for ploughing).”  OTHER REPORTS INCLUDE MILITIA AMPUTATING THE HANDS AND FEET OF TWO MEN WHO STOOD UP IN A MEETING AND ASKED THEM TO LEAVE THE AREA AS THERE WAS NO SUPPORT FOR THE RULING PARTY THERE.  WITH NO EFFECTIVE CLINIC NEARBY THEY DIED OF BLOOD-LOSS SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. 

THERE IS POLITICAL GENOCIDE GOING ON IN ZIMBABWE WHILE THE NEIGHBOURING LEADERS (THABO MBEKI) VISIT AND DRINK TEA IN THE PEACEFUL COMFORT OF STATE HOUSE IN THE CAPITAL CITY!!!!  MANY CRY TO THE WESTERN WORLD TO COME AND DELIVER THEM… BUT UNTIL AFRICA’S LEADERS AND PEOPLE STAND AGAINST THIS ON THEIR OWN CONTINENT TO UPHOLD MORALITY AND HUMAN DIGNITY, WHY SHOULD THE WEST COME IN TO HELP?  SHALL WE DARE TO ASK OURSELVES HONESTLY, “WHAT IS WRONG WITH AFRICA?” …HER SOLUTIONS LIE WITHIN HER, NOT OUTSIDE, BUT WILL SHE FIND THEM… AND DOES SHE WANT TO?

PLEASE READ ON….                  -THE DRUMMER

 

 

Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR)
May 09, 2008

Since the last report on the 25th of April, our members have reported a dramatic escalation in incidents of organised violence and torture with the number of victims documented in the post election period now standing at over 900. This figure grossly underestimates the number of victims presenting countrywide as the violence is now on such a scale that it is impossible to properly document all cases. There have been 22 confirmed deaths but at least double that number have been reported but are yet to be confirmed. It is alleged that some of those killed have been buried on the orders of state agents before documentation can take place.

There has been a dramatic increase in violence since the beginning of May. In the last 24 hours alone, 30 victims of violence have been treated for limb fractures in Harare hospitals and clinics and supplies of Plaster of Paris bandages are reported to be exhausted in most health centres.

One hospital in Harare has treated an average of 23 victims a day over the last week. On the 8th of May, there were a total 53 more seriously injured patients (13 females and 40 males) admitted to wards in 3 Harare hospitals. These included one 30 year old man on life support in the intensive care unit with severe, irreversible head injuries and a 30 year old man with severe soft tissue injuries to the buttocks and secondary renal failure, also on life support. Both of these patients died later that day. Also admitted was a 3yr old boy with trauma to his R eye from being struck with a rock and a 78 year old man with a fractured lower leg from blunt trauma. One young breast-feeding mother had bilateral fractures of her hands and was unable to hold her baby to feed her. Among the other patients, 20 had defensive, forearm or hand fractures, 5 had leg fractures and 1 fractured ribs. Fourteen patients had severe injuries to the buttocks from blunt trauma which required surgery for the removal of necrotic (dead) tissue. The perpetrators in all cases were alleged by the victims to be war veterans and Zanu PF supporters. Similar patterns of injuries are being reported from other hospitals.

As emphasised in the previous ZADHR reports, the cases documented by our members represent only a fraction of the total number countrywide. ZADHR is concerned that many victims of current violence are not receiving treatment. Numerous incidents of violence are being reported from remote rural areas where there is no access to transport and there are also widespread reports of the injured being denied treatment at health centres where staff have been intimidated and/or are acting under specific instructions from state agents not to treat victims of violence. It was reported from one district (Headlands) that medical care was being provided only if the victim had a letter from the police authorising this. Accounts have also been received of ambulances, sent to collect seriously injured victims, being turned away by war veterans.

Under these circumstances, it is likely that many of those with less severe injuries are not seeking medical attention. This seems to be confirmed by increasing reports of victims presenting with complications such as wound infections or infected haematomas which are directly attributable to delayed treatment.

Doctors and nursing staff at rural hospitals are working under conditions of severe stress and many health workers have reported intimidation with some having been specifically instructed by state agents not to treat opposition supporters. These health workers, who, according to some reports are treating up to 60 victims of torture and violence a day, are emotionally traumatised and depressed. One nursing sister treating victims in a rural clinic was observed to be shaking so violently with fear that she was unable to write.

Government spokespersons have repeatedly claimed that they have not received reports of violence or of deaths from the police. However, there is evidence that the police themselves are being intimidated. ZADHR has eyewitness statements that on the 24th of April, at Mayo Police Station in Headlands District, a high-ranking police officer from Harare physically assaulted the Member in Charge, accusing him of being sympathetic to the opposition. The police post had been taking statements from victims and referring them for medical treatment. The Member in Charge was summarily transferred out of the district.

The current pattern of organized torture and violence being perpetrated by state agents in the rural areas of Zimbabwe is similar to that documented prior to the 2002 elections. However, the current violence is dramatically more intensive and unrestrained. The level of brutality and callousness exhibited by the perpetrators is unprecedented and the vicious and cowardly attacks by so called war veterans on women, children and the elderly shames the memory of all true heroes of the liberation struggle.

It has been clearly documented that much of the violence has been specifically directed against members of the opposition party, particularly those who acted as election agents or monitors in the recent elections. Villagers and school teachers from districts where the opposition predominated in the elections have also been targeted even though they have no political affiliations. Without exception, victims treated by our members have identified the perpetrators either as war veterans, armed security force members or Zanu PF youth militia or varying combinations of the three. The few acts of violence attributable to opposition members appear to have been retaliatory or defensive.

It is clear from the widespread and coordinated nature of the violence and the consistent pattern of injuries inflicted, that state agents including elements of the security forces are organizing and directing this campaign of terror. It is now obvious that the intent of the campaign is to secure victory for President Robert Mugabe in a run off election. As in the 2002 election, it may be anticipated that the violence will be halted just prior to the arrival of international election monitors, to create the illusion of a peaceful and fair election, although state agents will maintain an intimadatory presence throughout the rural areas.

ZADHR again appeals for the immediate cessation of acts of violence and for the restoration of the rule of law in Zimbabwe. To this end it calls for:

1) the immediate, large- scale deployment of teams of SADC and other credible international observers to all districts where violence is being reported.

2) attested members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police to assume sole responsibility for the enforcement of law and order, and for the protection of the law be extended to all Zimbabweans irrespective of political affiliation.

3) the immediate withdrawal of all military personnel, both regular and irregular to barracks and the arrest of those war veterans and those posing as war veterans who are instigating violence.

4) the withdrawal of uniforms and arms from all irregular police and army militia not formally attested into the service and not entitled under law to bear arms.

5) the postponement of all run off election activities until the above conditions have been achieved.

Finally, ZADHR again appeals to the international community of health workers, including the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and the Zimbabwe Medical Association to bring whatever effective pressure is within their capability to bear on the Government of Zimbabwe to stop these grotesque, cruel and shameful acts of violence, and to be prepared to actively defend their colleagues facing intimidation and physical threat.

Visit the ZADHR fact sheet

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

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Mbeki’s methods by Mugabe’s children

May 16, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized

Armed robbery in Harare, Zimbabwe, May 2008

These are the antics typical to South Africa, now it is happenning in Zimbabwe where it is believed ANC’s Thabo Mbeki lived under Robert Mugabe’s protection during the years of struggle against Apartheit.  Is this perhaps why the “quiet diplomacy” of the appointed United Nations liason only results in further violence as is typical in his country of rule, South Africa?  The order by higher authorities not to react to lawlessness in relation to politically motivated (and suspectedly Government sponsored) violence has given rise to many other crimes by opportunist of the moment!  -THE DRUMMER

Quoting from victims of this weeks criminal activity…

Dear Reader

Just to let you all know of the terrible Trauma we were put through last Sat am at 2.45am.

At about 2.45am on Saturday am I was abruptly awoken by a good slap on the right side of my face & on rolling over was confronted by a robber who had a 9mm pistol pressed against my forehead & my skinning knife raised in the air above my face (He had already found it in my bedside draw !!!). At the end of the bed was another Guy with a 22 pistol & on Kerry’s side of the bed was another guy with a black 9mm para pistol. They told me they were here for forex & lots of cash & I would die if I did not give them the same.I asked if I could wake my wife up which I did & then the tall Guy with the 22 became aggressive & pulled our duvet off & said he was going to kill us. At this stage the 3rd chap walked down the passage & found my ten year old daughter asleep in Her bed ,she jumped up & ran to our room & jumped onto the bed & held onto her mother with all her might.  This Guy then took up his position at our door ,hiding in the gloom ,only with his weapon protruding ,he did not want to be identified.

For the next 45 mins we went through hell – interrogations ,threats of rape, of taking my daughter with them etc etc if we did not give them forex.The tall chap was particularly aggressive & kept threatening my little girl with the gun in her face if she did not shut up.All through this period the guy who had woken me was searching draws brief cases bags etc etc to find the forex,I gave him 3,5 billion Zim dollars (about 15 USD at current Black-Market rates) & he laughed & said he knew I had a lot more forex & then told his mate to cut off my wife’s toes with the bolt cutters & I can tell you when they grabbed her foot I thought that was it.  I kept talking to them calmly saying we were just a poor Christian Zimbo family who did not have much especially forex as we earned Zimbabwean salaries. They kept calling me a liar & using the Girls as a weapon against me with threats of rape, abduction etc etc.  (Bravely my wife addressed them in their own language and that really helped our situation immensely).  During this period they found my Ping 1 wood & 2 pellet pistols in my room & I offered both golf lessons & to teach them now to load the pistols which took their minds off the violence & wife’s Jewellery, which in the mean time she slipped into her mouth & the somehow managed to hide it in the duvet covers whilst I was negotiating with these clowns. Then suddenly the tall one went mad grabbed our  phone & tried to cut the line with the bolt cutters ,when this failed he went ape & grabbed the phone jumped on it & the ripped the cable apart.They then said they were going to take all our goods as we had not cooperated & then took all our car keys & housekeys & then said they were locking us in our room & would kill us if we tried to move, We have no key to our room so they closed the door & we could here them opening the interleading security grill & going through the girls’ handbags & other stuff in the lounge & kitchen. After 15 minutes of waiting my wife encouraged me to get the hidden shotgun.  I was really nervous cos I thought if I went for it they may come back & kill my Girls, but eventually I made the dash, grabbed the cartridges (ssg ) & set up for the last stand behind my bed.  At this stage I had put the girls in my bathroom. My plan was as the door handle moved, I was going to blow all the mothers away .I had made up my mind. But in the mean time with all Kerry and Annie’s prayers, a miracle happened – my Son Darren came home at around 3.30 & could not get through the gate or reach us by phone as they had cut all the lines  & stolen all 5 cell phones. His music was on full ball & we could hear him banging on the gate.I can only assume the thieves heard all this ,thought it was a reaction unit & made a run for it.  Well, Darren couldn’t get our attention so he drove off to stay at his mates house.  I was glad!  It is the first time I have been happy with him coming home late !!!!

I waited a few minutes then leant out the window & fired 6 shots into the air & we then heard a car speed of, this obviously contained our attackers. We found one set of keys & I cleared the area with a few more shots & we called for our staff who had heard the shots, but did not know where it was coming from.

At this stage you have no phones ,no vehicles & no phone numbers.  Fortunately Kerry could remember her Brother’s phone number & he arrived just after 4 am with the police. What a relief & after all this we lost 3,5b ,2 laptops & 5 cell phones ,they took nothing else.

To cut a long story,we were very lucky.  Annie is very traumatized & like Kerry & I cannot sleep for worry of a return trip. Our alarm was not working & they came in through a bathroom window that was not closed properly, they simply cut through the burglar bars with bolt cutters & entered without making a sound.

The lessons are simple ,keep your windows closed ,16mm plus metal bars cannot be cut with bolt cutters ,make sure the internal & external alarms are working ,have a few panic buttons handy & make sure you are connected to a reaction unit. Do not keep a weapon under your pillow, because when they wake you up you have no chance of using it ,rather keep it hidden close by & when they move out you can grab it .These guys checked under my pillows & mattress, under the bed before they even started negotiating. SO BE PREPARED, & RATHER BE SAFE THEN SORRY.

There is a lot more detail but this is the guts of the story.

In closing I would like to thank all our Family & Friends who have been quite amazing during this time ,we couldn’t have come through this all so well without you Guys. Finally we thank the Lord for the small miracle & for keeping us out of harms way ,it could have been a lot worse.

Take care

Love

Nathan, Kerry, Annie and Darren

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Militias to Rig Zimbabwe’s Poll

May 14, 2008 · Filed under Zimbabwe Elections 2008 · Tagged , , , , , ,

Zimbabwe’s “war veterans” militia plan to intimidate voters by posing as police officers during the presidential run-off, a policeman has told this correspondent.He said they would be based inside polling stations during the vote, whose date has not yet been fixed. It has been confirmed that police have arrested two top trade union officials.
 
Meanwhile, South African President Thabo Mbeki, the lead negotiator on Zimbabwe, has left Harare after talks with President Robert Mugabe.
A trade union official on Thursday said that 40,000 farm-workers and their relatives had fled their homes because of violent attacks.
The government has in turn accused the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) of staging political attacks, while saying the extent of the violence has been exaggerated. But a South African election observer has said that the violence makes it impossible to hold a run-off.
 
‘Uniforms issued’
The BBC’s Orla Guerin met the police officer deep in Zimbabwe’s bush, as he was afraid of being identified.
“The war veterans will be wearing police uniforms,” he said.
“They will be given ranks and force numbers. They’ll be part and parcel of the police deployed in every ward.
“So when people come in to vote they will see war veterans from their area in among the police, and they will be intimidated.”
 
He said that preparations were at an advance stage – that the order to issue uniforms had already been given by provincial police headquarters. Though opposed to the plan, he said he was powerless to stop it because if he objected he would be risking his life.
“Anything can happen,” he said.
“You can be abducted, or just disappear, or your family can be endangered. You never know who is watching you. You can’t trust anyone in Zimbabwe.”
 
The police, he added, had been told to go out and campaign vigorously for Mr Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party, and to remind people that they had won the country’s freedom through the barrel of a gun.
“They are trying to threaten people into voting for them, so they do not get off the throne,” he said.
“Zanu-PF are determined to continue ruling the country, and continue destroying it.”
 
According to this officer, there are many in the junior ranks of the police who talk privately about the need for change, but dare not speak out. He said no-one could be certain of attitudes among the senior commanders, because they had benefited greatly under the ruling party.
 
Many of those who fought in the 1970s war of independence went on to become police officers and soldiers and remain deeply loyal to their war-time leader, Mr Mugabe. But many of the so-called “war veterans” are too young to have fought in the war.
 
Trade unionists held
Two leading Zimbabwean trade union officials have been arrested. Lovemore Matombo and Wellington Chibebe from the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), which is close to the MDC, were detained after making anti-government speeches during rallies on May Day.
 
They are being held at Harare Central Police Station and are expected to be charged with inciting public violence. Police say that they want them to substantiate claims that MDC supporters have been killed by ruling party supporters.
 
The MDC says its leader Morgan Tsvangirai won the first round of the presidential election outright and should be declared president.
According to official results, Mr Tsvangirai gained more votes than Mr Mugabe but not the 50% needed for outright victory.
The run-off is supposed to be held within 21 days of the publication of the results – last Friday – but the electoral commission head has reportedly said it could be delayed for up to a year.
From Intercessors Network Sweden 13 May 2008
 

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‘No regrets’ for Mugabe’s opponents

May 14, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

From Intercessors Network Sweden

As Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe fights to maintain his grip on power, there are fears of a new wave of violence against his opponents. Orla Guerin reports from Zimbabwe, despite a ban on the BBC.

 It was the shoes that caught my eye.
The man wearing them had served me lunch. He was friendly and polite. His shirt and trousers were spotlessly clean and freshly pressed.
But when he brought my bill, his footwear gave him away. I could see his toes poking out through a large hole between the sole and the top of the shoe.
The bill came to $20 (£10) – in Zimbabwe dollars that is more than four billion. For the waiter, that probably would have been about three months’ take-home pay. Wondering how many billions it would take to buy new shoes, I left a large tip. When he saw the amount, he raised his hand to his heart in thanks.
 
The Zimbabwean currency has become so worthless, that you can find it littering the streets. Five-hundred-thousand-dollar notes lie in the dirt. Nobody bothers to pick them up.
A friend in Zimbabwe went shopping for a few gifts this week. When she selected them, in the morning, the bill came to Z$17bn. Three hours later, when she came back to pick them up, the price had risen to Z$21bn.
 
Dying regime?
During my stay I met a tour guide, who had worked abroad for years. He came home in 2005, when the economy was already in freefall.
“Why come back then?” I asked.
“To help bring about change,” he said.
He told me, as did many Zimbabweans, that the Mugabe era was coming to an end, though he was not sure how.
“Our old man is on the way out,” he said. “It’s the last kick of a dying horse.”
 
He spoke firmly but quietly, with a quick glance over his shoulder to see who was about. We talked over dinner, a three-course meal – soup, chicken and dessert. He ate slowly and carefully.
“An ordinary man could spend a year without eating a meal like this,” he said.
 
The same man told me the churches are a lot fuller these days, not because a suffering nation is finding consolation in religion, but because church groups can sometimes help people find food, or arrange decent burial.
Many in Zimbabwe cannot afford the cost of dying. At a small cemetery, where the grasses grew higher than the tombstones, we met a group of young men digging a grave.
They were not gravediggers, this was a do-it-yourself funeral.
“We are burying our sister,” one told me.
“She had been sick for a while.”
The deceased was 37 years old.
Dying in your 30s is typical these days. Life expectancy in Zimbabwe is among the lowest in the world.
 
Police checkpoints
Travelling through the country can be an eerie experience. We had the open road all to ourselves for hours. The only distraction along the way was the occasional roadblock, usually manned by relaxed police. With BBC News banned in Zimbabwe, we were running the risk of arrest.
But we managed to pass unnoticed, and many ordinary Zimbabweans ran the much greater risk of agreeing to speak to us and tell us their stories. They could expect harsh treatment from the authorities if they were caught.
 
At a remote rural homestead, we were welcomed by a village elder who was no stranger to President Mugabe’s wrath. In the past, supporting the opposition MDC had cost him dearly. His home was burned down and his wife was beaten. The fields around the homestead were full of withered corn and the grain stores were empty, but our host wanted to kill a chicken and prepare a meal for us.
We thanked him, but said we could not accept. Later that night we found the dead chicken in the back of our truck.
Some of those we met were putting their hope in the international community.
“They won’t let this continue,” one man said.
“They’ll send in the UN.”
 
Poll fears
But Robert Mugabe knows there will be no-one coming to stop the beatings and the killings by his henchmen. If a second round of voting comes, many may be too afraid to go back to the polls.
“Sadly it won’t be possible to vote again,” one opposition supporter told me, sounding weary.
Others may be unable to risk coming out of hiding.
 
I met an MDC activist who was on the run, following a brutal beating. We spoke for just a few minutes. He was too afraid to stay longer. He had had no contact with family or friends for more than six weeks.
“If they hear my voice on the radio,” he said, “they’ll know I’m alive.”
I asked what he thought would happen, if he was caught again.
“It won’t be torture then,” he said. “It will definitely be death.
“But if needs be, we are ready to sacrifice our lives to make things better for our children. I have no regrets.”
 

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War in Zimbabwe’s Skies!

May 14, 2008 · Filed under Zimbabwe Elections 2008 · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

“It is the thief who comes to kill, steal and destroy” 

As I went to war in the Spirit today I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to declare with the authority we have in Jesus, that the followers of this “Mugabe-madness” have their eyes supernaturally opened by the Spirit of Revelation – the Spirit of Light, so that they would see with fresh comprehension the TRUTH about what they are doing in their violent actions and destructive ways; and command them to repent!

Repentance requires a change of thought process, a change of mental authority over our own minds.  I declare a renewing of the minds of the people of Zimbabwe, followers of both sides, but especially those involved in violence and intimidation, that they will see the truth of what they are doing, the truth about the instructions they are following, and come under the greater authority of the LORD Jesus Christ.  I pray that their hearts be grieved and they turn away from the madness they are caught up in and the lies they are being led to believe.

Remember that we do not war against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  I invite you to stand with me against the ruling Lion Spirits of the Shona people, namely the spirit of Mbuya Nehanda (Grandmother Nehanda was a Spirit medium who led and directed the two major wars in former Rhodesia colony) and of Kuguvi (who was a male spirit medium – regarded as the Spirit of War, who served alongside Mbuya Nehanda).  Both original mediums were hanged in the City of Salisbury when they were finally caught and sentenced in late 1800’s, but their spirits have new hosts are are fearfully respected by the ruling party leadership who consult these spirit’s mediums for direction and wisdom with which to run the country.

It is my belief that should a change in government occur in the natural, perhaps under the MDC, a largely Christian-based and represented Party, the powers of the demonic “ancestral” forces will be curbed and persecuted at all levels in the spiritual realm, even being driven out.  Thus the battle for power ensues.

Pray that the church will recognise the authority it has in Christ and stand and speak Life into the land by the Holy Spirit… instead of the complaining and bickering we so commonly hear!  And also to pray for the leadership of the country – Robert Mugabe especially.  Pray that he has an encounter of revelation with the Living God!  Just as Paul (Saul of Tarsus) had on the road to Damascus!  That his pride and arrogance be shattered and he be humbled by the realization of the truth of what he has created and permitted to continue happening.  Pray that God’s overwhelming LOVE pierce his hardened heart and flood his soul, and stop his mad lust for power and wealth and fame.  Pray also that he find the forgiveness he needs in his own heart to free himself from the bitterness and resentment he has allowed to fester for so long that it has driven him to this end!  He has the authority as ruler of the nation – Pray that he reverses the order he gave to create this madness – killing, stealing, destroying – the fruit of the tree of EVIL – and bring his generals and militia leaders back under control for peace not violence.

With love in Christ the King of Kings (and presidents) and Lord over Zimbabwe,
-THE DRUMMER

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Horror in Zimbabwe

May 14, 2008 · Filed under Zimbabwe Elections 2008 · Tagged , , , ,

HORROR IN ZIMBABWE

Please be aware that this is the statement of one case in many hundreds of cases since the released election results three weeks ago.  A case of assalt against a white family is at a ratio of one to over one hundred cases of black families who have experienced as bad and worse, even to death.  Some violence and crimes are moving into the cities as opportunistic crimes against soft targets rises because law is not permitted to be enforced.  The President is Police Chief No.1, and head of the military.  Their actions are at his command.

-THE DRUMMER

 


STATEMENT MADE BY WILLIAM BRUCE ROGERS AND ANNETTE MARY ROGERS

On the day of the 6th May, 2008 at approximately 1300 hours I was visited by three men at our farm, Chigwell Extension Farm.They told me that I had two minutes to vacate my property otherwise they will send the mob there and the house is not worth sacrificing my life for.  Because we would lose our lives.  They said they were like hungry lions.

My wife made a report to the Chegutu Police Station about this incident, naming the people involved. At that stage I asked them if they would react to any incident that my occur and they informed my wife that they would speak to the Assistant Inspector.  My wife also saw him before making the report and informed him of the visit and he told her to go and make a report at the charge office.

At about 1700 hours on the same day a vehicle – a white Datsun 1800 pickup arrived at the gate with approximately 10-12 people.  They demanded that I opened the gate because they wanted to talk to me.  I refused and went into the house together with my wife.  We locked ourselves into the house.  They came to the house and wanted me to go outside to speak to them which I refused to do.  They started smashing windows and the front door was smashed open.  One of them pointed a single barrel shotgun inside the house at us – we were by then upstairs.  He fired a shot directly at us which went just over my head and close to my wifes’ head.  He obviously intended to kill us.  After he fired the shot he went out and it went quiet for a while and then we heard three shots coming from the workers housing area.  They returned with all the workers and fired another shot whilst outside.

I managed to get through to the Assistant Inspector and the Chegutu Police Station to ask for assistance before there were dead bodies in the house.  He said that I must phone him back in half and hour.  Throughout all of this my wife was on the phone to numerous friends who were at the Chegutu Police Station trying to get assistance from them with absolutely no result whatsoever.  My wife and I also made many phone calls to the Member in Charge on his cell phone and he refused to answer.

By this time it was dark and the power went off so we were left completely in darkness and unable to identify our own employees.

They then used the workers as a shield so that they could all come inside the house and then were downstairs chanting and singing and making threats.

They sent one of the workers upstairs to demand the shotgun from me to take back to them.  I refused and this employee stayed upstairs with us.  They then grabbed the son of this employee who was downstairs and from what I could gather they threatened to either kill or injure him if he didn’t go back downstairs with the weapon.  He went back downstairs without the weapon.  After about five minutes they told all the singing workers to go upstairs using them as a shield once more.  We tried to identify the workers one by one as they came up the stairs, as my wife was standing at the top of the stairs with a can of mace.  After about 15 workers came through, she could not identify a person and used the mace and sprayed them.  After this they ran back downstairs and out of the house.

This incensed the thugs who then proceeded to break down the back door and started a building a fire in the downstairs lounge directly below us.  As we have a wooden floor upstairs this posed a great threat and we thought we would be burnt alive which is when I said that we would come out and asked if  they would let us leave peacefully which they agreed to do.  We asked the ring-leader to identify himself.  We came downstairs and they demanded the shotgun from me which was loaded and off safety and I refused.  They then insisted that I give it to them and I tried to start unloading it and they attacked me.  They then grabbed my wife around the throat and she started screaming.  While they were trying to take the shotgun from me three shots went off outside the house into the ground as it is a semi-automatic shotgun.  They then took the shotgun from me and wrestled me to the ground and started beating me with what I assume was sticks, or pipes and kicking me with their boots.  They dragged my wife outside and they were trying to strangle her.  At this stage she managed to bite the hand of the man who was grabbing her round the throat.  Whereupon he started to beat her.  At one time there were at least four men beating and kicking her.

They then tied me up with rope and threw me into the back of their pickup.  At this stage my wife was still being beaten.  When they had finished beating her, one of them grabbed her by her feet and dragged her over to the vehicle.  They then demanded that she stand up and get into the back of the truck which she was unable to do.  One of them grabbed her by the hair, pulled her into a standing position and pushed her up against the back of the truck and told her to get in.  She did climb in. They searched my wife and found the car-keys in her pocket and demanded she show them what vehicle the keys were for.  They couldn’t find the keys to the other truck. They drove my vehicle onto the lawn, parked near the truck where I was tied up.  The immobiliser for the vehicle went off.  They demanded that my wife show them where the immobiliser switch was situated which she did do.  One of them drove off with the vehicle which we never saw again. They still had all the employees on the lawn around a fire that had been lit by the front door and they were still forced to sing.

There were about four or five of them around the vehicle watching the two of us, all the time they were shouting verbal abuse and racist comments and threatening to kill either one or both of us and also stating the manner in which they should kill us.  This must have gone on for almost an hour.  They were burning my feet with cigarettes and then we saw vehicle lights shining towards us and then my wife was told to get out of the vehicle and was dragged towards the headlights of the vehicle that had arrived.  When she got to the vehicle she saw there were four armed policeman from Kadoma Police Station who asked what had happened.  She told them briefly what had happened and demanded that they fetch me immediately from the vehicle as she feared for my life.  One of the thugs came and untied me and told me to get out of the vehicle and made me walk towards the headlights of the parked vehicle.  I noticed that they were armed policeman.  The incident was described in more detail to them and they accompanied us into the house to get some warm clothing.  Once we were in the house we saw that the gun cabinet had been opened and ransacked and that my weapons were missing.  I informed the police that the weapons were missing.  They then took us out of the house and told us to get in their vehicle as we were going to Chegutu Police Station to make a report.

We got to Chegutu Police Station and they had to call some superior officer to take a statement and he only arrived as were were leaving to go to Harare to get urgent medical attention.  No police personal of any authority seemed to show any interest in taking our statement.

We were attended to by medical staff at the Avenues Clinic where numerous x-rays and CT scans were taken.

My injuries are two cracked verterbrae in my lower back.  Fractured cheekbone, fractured nose there was copious bleeding into my sinuses and extensive lacerations and deep-tissue bruising to my face and back and a bite to my right earlobe.

My wifes injuries are fractured cheekbones, fractures around her orbital socket round her eye, perforated eardrum, cracked ribs and extensive bruising to her face and back and throat.

W.B. ROGERS ………………………………………..

A.M. ROGERS………………………

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Protected: May Day! May Day!

May 5, 2008 · Filed under Zimbabwe Elections 2008 · Tagged , , , , , ,

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