Stephen Chadenga

Zimbabwe’s MDC denies allegations of internal split

Zimbabwe’s main opposition, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), led by Morgan Tsvangirai has Thursday denied allegations that the party is rocked by internal divisions saying the claims are the imagination of the state controlled media, particularly the daily newspaper The Herald. In a statement the party asserted “Zimbabweans will not be hoodwinked by shrill propaganda from a discredited newspaper that has since lost its credibility.”

Zimbabwe’s school term opening postponed by two weeks

Fears that the chaos that gripped the education sector in the greater part of 2008 might resurface in 2009, that saw little if any learning activity at schools and colleges, a continuous strike by teachers and lecturers at institutions of higher learning have been raised after government deferred the opening of the first term of 2009 from January Tuesday 13 to Tuesday 27.

Zimbabwe government fears cholera might worsen as rainy season peaks

The cholera epidemic, which has claimed more than 1600 lives in Zimbabwe, may worsen during the peak of the rainy season prompting government to launch an anti-cholera awareness programme. The rainy season which began in November usually peaks in January and ends late March.

Zimbabwe under siege from the West says Mugabe

Zimbabwe’s embattled 84 year old president Robert Mugabe increasingly under pressure from the international community to step down, as the country’s economic and social fortunes continue on a downturn has reiterated that the country is under siege from western countries, particularly led by Britain and America, determined to effect illegal regime change.

Bleak Christmas for Zimbabweans

The year 2008 has been the worst for majority Zimbabweans. With an economy that has degenerated to unprecedented levels in world history, acute poverty affecting ordinary people, a political crisis that has claimed many lives and 84-year-old geriatric Robert Mugabe refusing to relinquish power, ruling the country with an iron fist since 1980 and a political power sharing deal among feuding parties failing to come to fruition since the signing of the agreement in September, there is no Christmas to celebrate in this Southern African country, except maybe for a few carols for impoverished Christians at church.

Zimbabwe’s government still believes cholera a biological warfare

August 2008 is nightmarish to most Zimbabweans as it was then that a water-borne disease outbreak, that has to date wiped out close to 1,000 lives began. Never in the history of this once prosperous Southern African country did such a manageable epidemic as cholera spread at such magnitude. Due to the economic collapse that has seen urban sanitation facilities disintegrating, health delivery services decaying with major hospitals closing, doctors and nurses downing tools so do critics point to the manifestation of the pandemic spread. But government blamed for the ailing economy because of gross mismanagement is still in a state of denial instead, apportioning fault of the cholera outbreak on sanctions by Western countries, in general, and of late on biological warfare, in particular.

Zimbabwe’s army commander apologises for soldiers’ behavior

November 27 will forever be ingrained in the minds of ordinary Zimbabweans. Solders in uniform went on a rampage in the streets of Harare beating up innocent civilians, looting and damaging property in frustration over failure to withdraw cash from banks. Nobody anticipated that kind of riotous behavior from the militia, given the loyalty the army has bestowed to 84- year-old Robert Mugabe since 1980 when the country gained political independence from British colonial rule. On December 1, a group of solders again ran amok in the capital’s streets. Government attempted to downplay the gravity of the incidents by dismissing them as minor cases of failing discipline within the army ranks.

Whereabouts of kidnapped Zimbabwe’s female human rights activist still unknown

Wednesday, December 3, 2008 will never be the same again for the family of Jestina Mukoko-- a female rights activist and Director of Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), a Non- Governmental Organization involved in the monitoring and documentation of politically motivated violence. Mukoko, who once worked as a broadcaster at the state-owned monopoly, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) before turning to human rights activism, was abducted around 5.a.m. at her Norton home, about 45 km West of the capital Harare on that fateful day. About 15 men wielding guns pounced on her home after threatening the gardener at the gate, gained entry and bundled Jestina, who was coming from her bedroom still clad in a nightgown and without her spectacles. They drove away. Mukoko’s teenage son reportedly raised the alarm with human rights groups.

Zimbabwean soldiers run amok

Hare-Zimbabwe-The spate of uniformed soldiers who went on rampage in the capital Harare mid-last week and this Monday, over frustration from failure to withdraw cash at banks has raised eyebrows among the general public to the extent armed forces can remain loyal to the incumbent 84-year-old president Robert Mugabe as the economic and political meltdown continue to bite every facet of the economy in this Southern African country.

Zimbabwe Government puts cholera deaths at 425

That Zimbabwe is facing a major health crisis with the recent outbreak of cholera is no secret. The water borne disease has claimed many lives and critics argue the cause is a breakdown in most urban sanitation facilities- a direct consequence of the current economic meltdown. Government also repeatedily blame Western backed economic sanctions on the crisis, a charge western countries deny, instead blaming Mugabe's regime of destroying the country's economy through policy inconsistency. What is worrisome however is that when everybody, from the government itself, Non-Governmental Organisations and well wishers are putting notable efforts to contain the epidemic, conflicting statistics on the death toll from the disease have a potential to undermine the amount of input needed to address the health catastrophe.

Tsvangirai, Mbeki personal attacks threatens immediate Zimbabwe’s political and economic reviv

Zimbabwe is on the verge of a myriad of problems- mainly political that has led to the disintegration of the economic, social and moral fabrication of the Southern African country. The African country touted to have good memories of once being the breadbasket of Africa, having a vibrant education sector, health sector well functioning industries and a prosperous economy, is a pale shadow of itself.

Cholera spreads like veldfire across Zimbabwe

Gweru-Zimbabwe-A tragic incident--an indication that Zimbabwe’s health delivery system once considered the glory of Africa has not only collapsed but is in a serious state of decay--occurred last week in the country’s third largest city, Gweru, when a couple from the city’s high density suburb of Mkoba II succumbed to cholera.

Tears of agony as economic recession bites

Gweru-Zimbabwe-Shoving, stampeding, yelling, crowding at door entrances and Automated Teller Machines (ATMs). This has become characteristic at banks in Zimbabwe since the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor, Gideon Gono increased the daily cash withdrawal limit from 50,000 Zimbabwean dollars to 500,000 dollars for individuals and $1million up from $10,000 for companies last Wednesday.

The Right to Health in Zimbabwe suffering a heavy blow

Gweru-Zimbabwe-76-year-old Ambuya ( a local name for grandmother) Mandlovu of Mutapa suburb, in the Midlands province capital, Gweru, visits the province's largest referral hospital. A diabetic patient, Ambuya Ndlovu hopes to find the drugs that can ease her condition. But the hospital, despite the infrastructure that gives it an appearance of a magnificent health center is a pale shadow of what used to be excellent health facilities that could be accessed by patients a few years ago. Gweru is Zimbabwe's third largest city. Despite opening its doors to the public, Gweru General Hospital, just like other big hospitals in Zimbabwe has literally closed its doors as drugs and other health equipment are just not available. Who could ever have imagined that patients like Granny Mandlovu would one day be asked to buy their own needles and medications at government health institutions?

SADC Troika fails to resolve Zimbabwe’s political deadlock

Regional leaders from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) troika on Defence, Politics and Security who met with principals to Zimbabwe’s power sharing agreement, Robert Mugabe of Zanu PF, Morgan Tsvangirai of the larger MDC formation and Professor Arthur Mutambara of the breakaway MDC, failed on Monday to break the impasse over the allocation of cabinet posts.

Passport saga threatens Zanu PF and MDC power sharing agreement

As the saga over the failure by Movement for Democratic Change leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, to attend this week’s SADC heads of state meeting in Mbabane, Swaziland on Monday, because of failure by the Registrar-General’s office to issue the MDC leader with a new passport continues, indications on the ground reveal the power sharing talks are in danger of collapse.

Tsvangirai fails to attend SADC meeting over travelling documents

Prospects of resolving Zimbabwe’s impasse in the allocation of cabinet posts hit a brick wall Monday after the Movement for Democratic Change leader, Morgan Tsvangirai failed to attend the meeting in Swaziland citing delays in getting traveling documents.

Impasse over power sharing a “stupid debate” says Tsvangirai

Masvingo-Zimbabwe- 300km South East of the capital, Harare, in the town of Masvingo, supporters of Movement for Democratic Change leader, Morgan Tsvangirai braved the oppressive heat in the middle of this summer season, to attend a political rally and listen to the words of hope from their leader. Majority Zimbabweans continue to bear the brunt a political and economic mess currently gripping the nation for close to a decade. It, being a Sunday and a non-business day, the close to 8,000 MDC supporters, like many Zimbabweans have the day to temporarily relax from the what has become the daily straining life of queuing at banks from Monday to Saturday, shoving, pushing and stampeding to withdraw the daily maximum 50,000 Zimbabwean dollars, that can only buy two loaves of bread.

Mugabe’s allocation of ministries power grabbing says Tsvangirai

Harare, Zimbabwe-Twenty-eight days ago, on 15 September, Zimbabweans were jubilating, embracing, shaking hands in celebration of conquering political intolerance that had gripped the nation for almost a decade. Leaders of long time political rivals, Zanu PF, led by 84-year-old Robert Mugabe, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Morgan Tsvangirai and Professor Arthur Mutambara of the smaller MDC breakaway formation had reached a political settlement in a power sharing deal signed at Rainbow Towers Hotel in the capital Harare, amid pomp and fanfare. Some 28 days later,the same leaders who promised to work as a team are still to agree on the sharing of cabinet posts, in what many Zimbabweans view as a betrayal to the long bleeding economy. With inflation at 231 million percent and the political circus continuing, Zimbabwe is paying the heavy price in this political deadlock.

Leadership a relay race-pass on the baton

Gweru, Zimbabwe-Imagine you are at the Olympic games. Your relay team is considered the best and expectations are high that gold will come your way. You are leading the race and everybody is cheering. You are about to pass the baton to the last man, but alas you refuse the stick and proceed to the finishing line. Your team is disqualified. You disappoint yourself, team, family, friends and the million fans both at the stadium and at home glued to television sets watching the event. The above might appear a dramatic sport anecdote but has come to become one true and synonymous with politics in Africa, where aged leaders rebuff relinquishing power to youthful blood despite waning energy to continue serving the people.