zimfinalpush
United we stand
Opposition parties plan single candidates for 2008
HARARE BY ITAI DZAMARA
Morgan Tsvangirai is more than likely to be the opposition's sole candidate to face Robert Mugabe in the 2008 presidential election.
Initiatives are underway to choose a single candidate to represent a united front for the MDC, in order not to split the vote. The two MDCs as well as civil society and other small opposition parties are planning to support one candidate to ensure a decisive victory over tackle Mugabe and his Zanu (PF) at next year's presidential and parliamentary elections.
Leaders of the opposition have indicated their willingness to work together and support a single candidate, in order to avoid what has become known as the "Kenya syndrome" where opposition parties gained more votes than the ruling party, but still lost the elections.
"There is no alternative to a united front. We are committed to the principle of a united front and coming up with a single candidate to contest the elections and end Robert Mugabe's repression. We are seriously engaged in those deliberations and we do not want to divide the people," said opposition leader Arthur Mutambara in an exclusive interview with The Zimbabwean this week.
When asked to comment about information that he had agreed in principle to back Tsvangirai's candidature he said: "The issue of the candidate to represent the united front will be announced when the whole process is done."
"It is not yet official but Mutambara has pledged his support for Tsvangirai's candidature, which is also the same position taken by the other smaller parties," a source involved in the manoeuvres said.
Democratic Party leader Wurayayi Zembe and spokesman of ZANU (formerly ZANU Ndonga) Stanley Semwayo said they would back Tsvangirai's candidature. "There have been such suggestions but the matter has not yet been finalized. However, we hold Tsvangirai in very high esteem and we back him," Semwayo said.
Zembe however emphasized the need for the coalition of opposition and civil society to ensure that elections should only be held under a new electoral framework "that doesn't ensure predetermined results". The same sentiments were echoed by the leader of ZAPU, Paul Siwela.
A few weeks ago Mutambara was quoted as saying: "We believe in a single candidate philosophy and principle in all elections. Consequently, the MDC resolves to continue dialogue and seek agreement with other opposition parties in order to establish a possible election coalition framework and candidate selection methodology." Sources said the deliberations were also considering ways of handling parliamentary elections, with a suggestion having been made that the opposition parties agree not to contest each other in the various constituencies.
That would be achieved through allowing candidates already representing respective constituencies to stand without opposition, and holding primaries for the constituencies currently in the hands of Zanu (PF).
Tortured Phiri now out of hospital
HARARE – Gift Phiri, the chief reporter of The Zimbabwean who spent four nights in police cells following his arrest and beating while in police custody on April 1, 2007, was released on bail last Thursday. He was immediately taken to hospital where he spent five days receiving treatment for wounds all over his body and under his feet. He was released from hospital on Monday, but is still in a lot of pain and walks with difficulty.
"I am still in a lot of pain and having bad nightmares. But apart from that I am fine," Phiri said by telephone this week. Doctors have recommended that he go for torture counselling as soon as possible.
Magistrate Gloria Takundwa on 5 April 2007 ignored a High Court order when she proceeded with the remand hearing against Phiri on Thursday. Lawyers representing him had managed to get a High Court Order at 9am on April 5 2007 ordering his release if he failed to appear before a magistrate by 11am. Phiri finally appeared in court well after 12 noon.
In dismissing the High Court Order, Magistrate Takundwa took advantage of a typographical error, which showed 15 instead of 5 April 2007 as the operational date of the order. She said she had every right to hear the matter as the date of the operational order was still far off. She ordered that the state should investigate allegations that the police tortured Phiri and report accordingly at the next remand hearing. The court also granted Phiri Z$200,000 bail with stringent conditions despite the fact that the State had strongly opposed bail.
In opposing bail, the state had argued that if Phiri was granted bail he would continue writing falsehoods or could flee to the United Kingdom where Wilf Mbanga, the publisher of The Zimbabwean, is based. The State had also argued that Phiri did not own a house and could easily move from his present residential address to evade justice.
He has been charged with contravening Section 79 (1) and Section 80(1) (b) of the repressive Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and ordered to report to Harare Central Police Station on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 6am and 6pm, to reside at his given address and not to interfere with any of the state witnesses.
Phiri, who was represented by Rangu Nyamurundira, was remanded to 25 April 2007.
He joins the growing list of journalists who have been arrested, tortured and murdered in the past four weeks. These include William Bango, press secretary to Morgan Tsvangirai, Luke Tamborinyoka of the MDC information department, Grace
Kwinjeh, now an MDC executive member, and Edward Chikomba, the former ZBC cameraman whose body was found last week covered in injuries. – MISA/Own correspondent
HARARE – Gift Phiri, the chief reporter of The Zimbabwean who spent four nights in police cells following his arrest and beating while in police custody on April 1, 2007, was released on bail last Thursday. He was immediately taken to hospital where he spent five days receiving treatment for wounds all over his body and under his feet. He was released from hospital on Monday, but is still in a lot of pain and walks with difficulty.
"I am still in a lot of pain and having bad nightmares. But apart from that I am fine," Phiri said by telephone this week. Doctors have recommended that he go for torture counselling as soon as possible.
Magistrate Gloria Takundwa on 5 April 2007 ignored a High Court order when she proceeded with the remand hearing against Phiri on Thursday. Lawyers representing him had managed to get a High Court Order at 9am on April 5 2007 ordering his release if he failed to appear before a magistrate by 11am. Phiri finally appeared in court well after 12 noon.
In dismissing the High Court Order, Magistrate Takundwa took advantage of a typographical error, which showed 15 instead of 5 April 2007 as the operational date of the order. She said she had every right to hear the matter as the date of the operational order was still far off. She ordered that the state should investigate allegations that the police tortured Phiri and report accordingly at the next remand hearing. The court also granted Phiri Z$200,000 bail with stringent conditions despite the fact that the State had strongly opposed bail.
In opposing bail, the state had argued that if Phiri was granted bail he would continue writing falsehoods or could flee to the United Kingdom where Wilf Mbanga, the publisher of The Zimbabwean, is based. The State had also argued that Phiri did not own a house and could easily move from his present residential address to evade justice.
He has been charged with contravening Section 79 (1) and Section 80(1) (b) of the repressive Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and ordered to report to Harare Central Police Station on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 6am and 6pm, to reside at his given address and not to interfere with any of the state witnesses.
Phiri, who was represented by Rangu Nyamurundira, was remanded to 25 April 2007.
He joins the growing list of journalists who have been arrested, tortured and murdered in the past four weeks. These include William Bango, press secretary to Morgan Tsvangirai, Luke Tamborinyoka of the MDC information department, Grace
Kwinjeh, now an MDC executive member, and Edward Chikomba, the former ZBC cameraman whose body was found last week covered in injuries. – MISA/Own correspondent
Editorial
We commend the Roman Catholic bishops for their uncompromising Easter message to the people of Zimbabwe. In it they urged President Mugabe to end his oppression of the people through state-sponsored violence and to leave office through democratic reform - or face mass revolt.
'As the suffering population becomes more insistent, generating more and more pressure through boycotts, strikes, demonstrations and uprisings, the state responds with even harsher oppression through arrests, detentions, banning orders, beatings and torture,' says the message, which was stuck to the doors of churches throughout Zimbabwe on Easter Sunday.
This is the first time the Catholic bishops have spoken with one voice, using language reminiscent of their outspoken stance during the Smith days.
'Oppression is sin and cannot be compromised with,' said the bishops unequivocally. As to where the violence in our country is coming from – they did not mince their words.
The conflict, they said, was 'between those who only know the language of violence and intimidation and those who feel they have nothing more to lose because their constitutional rights have been abrogated and their votes rigged'.
The bishops called for a new people-driven constitution, leading to free and fair elections. It is also encouraging that Pope Benedict XVI singled out Zimbabwe for special mention during his Easter message. 'Zimbabwe is in the grip of a grievous crisis,' he said.
We agree with the comments of Fr Oskar Wermter of the Catholic Communications Secretariat who said: 'Oppression is not negotiable. It must stop before there can be any dialogue.' We urge Thabo Mbeki to insist on this in order to create an
enabling environment for any dialogue to take place. We support the bishops' call for a day of prayer and fasting for Zimbabwe on April 14 and the national Day of Prayer on April 18. What more fitting way to mark the anniversary of our Independence?
We commend the Roman Catholic bishops for their uncompromising Easter message to the people of Zimbabwe. In it they urged President Mugabe to end his oppression of the people through state-sponsored violence and to leave office through democratic reform - or face mass revolt.
'As the suffering population becomes more insistent, generating more and more pressure through boycotts, strikes, demonstrations and uprisings, the state responds with even harsher oppression through arrests, detentions, banning orders, beatings and torture,' says the message, which was stuck to the doors of churches throughout Zimbabwe on Easter Sunday.
This is the first time the Catholic bishops have spoken with one voice, using language reminiscent of their outspoken stance during the Smith days.
'Oppression is sin and cannot be compromised with,' said the bishops unequivocally. As to where the violence in our country is coming from – they did not mince their words.
The conflict, they said, was 'between those who only know the language of violence and intimidation and those who feel they have nothing more to lose because their constitutional rights have been abrogated and their votes rigged'.
The bishops called for a new people-driven constitution, leading to free and fair elections. It is also encouraging that Pope Benedict XVI singled out Zimbabwe for special mention during his Easter message. 'Zimbabwe is in the grip of a grievous crisis,' he said.
We agree with the comments of Fr Oskar Wermter of the Catholic Communications Secretariat who said: 'Oppression is not negotiable. It must stop before there can be any dialogue.' We urge Thabo Mbeki to insist on this in order to create an
enabling environment for any dialogue to take place. We support the bishops' call for a day of prayer and fasting for Zimbabwe on April 14 and the national Day of Prayer on April 18. What more fitting way to mark the anniversary of our Independence?
Editor:
Wilf Mbanga
Registered office:
The Zimbabwean Limited,
P.O. Box 248, Hythe, SO45 4WX
E-mail: news@thezimbabwean.co.uk
Tel/Fax: +44 (0)2380 845 271
Write to us: letters@thezimbabwean.co.uk
Web: www.thezimbabwean.co.uk.
Published simultaneously every Thursday in London and Johannesburg and online at www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
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