U N I T E D  N A T I O N S 
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 
Integrated Regional Information Network for Southern Africa

Tel: +27 11 880 4633 
Fax: +27 11 880 1421 
e-mail: irin-sa@irin.org.za


SOUTHERN AFRICA
IRIN-SA Weekly Round-up 18
29 April-5 May



CONTENTS:

ZIMBABWE: Government to seize farms
ZIMBABWE: No election boycott - MDC
ZIMBABWE: Election fairness questioned
ZIMBABWE: IRIN Focus on a grim economic outlook
ZIMBABWE: Concerns over food security mount
ZIMBABWE: Neighbouring countries prepare for possible influx
ZIMBABWE: UK sanctions dismissed
ZIMBABWE: Military role in farm invasions alleged
MOZAMBIQUE: Donors exceed target for flood reconstruction
SOUTH AFRICA: Mbeki moves to reassure nation
SOUTH AFRICA: Troops for DRC
ZAMBIA-ANGOLA: Border insecurity
ANGOLA: WFP convoy ambushed
LESOTHO: Election delay
NAMIBIA: Compensation for soldiers
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Growing threats to press freedom

ZIMBABWE: Government to seize farms

President Robert Mugabe has made land the centrepiece of his ruling party's
election manifesto and on Wednesday said that the government is to acquire
five million hectares of white-owned farm land for redistribution. Launching
ZANU-PF's manifesto under the theme "land is the economy, the economy is
land", Mugabe said that some 4,000 white commercial farmers owned 12.2
million hectares of the country's prime agricultural land, while 70 percent
of the country's 12 million people were landless. 

Mugabe, who did not set a date for upcoming parliamentary elections, said
that those not comfortable with his land reform policy were free to leave
the country. He added that government supporters led by war veterans who had
occupied white farms would not be ordered off. 

Spokesman for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, Learnmore
Jongwe, said that the land issue is a "gimmick" designed to obscure the
government's economic failures. 

For a full report see:

ZIMBABWE: No election boycott - MDC

Zimbabwe's main opposition party has announced that although conditions do
not exist for free and fair elections, it would not consider a boycott of
the upcoming parliamentary poll. 

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) spokesman Learnmore Jongwe told IRIN on
Wednesday that given state-sponsored violence and intimidation, "there are
absolutely no conditions for free and fair elections. But one thing we have
resolved as a party is that we are not going to boycott. We owe that to our
supporters and the country". He acknowledged that the political violence
"has had an impact on our campaign. However, we don't believe it's going to
do much to swing the election. People might not attend our rallies, but they
are going to vote MDC." 

Jongwe welcomed a statement by eight Commonwealth foreign ministers in
London on Tuesday condemning "political violence, loss of life, illegal
occupations of property, failure to uphold the rule of law, and political
intimidation." While applauding the government's willingness to accept poll
monitors, the statement stressed the need for free and fair elections.
Commonwealth head Don McKinnon is expected in Zimbabwe in the next two weeks
to convey the group's concerns to the government. However, ZANU-PF campaign
strategist Jonathan Moyo dismissed the Commonwealth statement as of no
consequence. 

For a full report see:

ZIMBABWE: Election fairness questioned 

Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party has allegedly set the stage to rig
parliamentary elections initially scheduled for this month, human rights and
opposition organisations told IRIN. They claimed that the voter registration
process has been conducted under controversial circumstances, and alleged
that the government was preparing to draft in ZANU-PF supporters as polling
monitors after recently announcing that teachers would no longer be used. 

An MDC official told IRIN on Wednesday that although a large number of
voters have registered, they were not provided with proof of registration. 

For a full report see:

ZIMBABWE: IRIN Focus on a grim economic outlook

As Zimbabwe's foreign payment arrears climb to an estimated US $400 million,
economists told IRIN on Wednesday the economic outlook for the country
remained poor in coming months. Meanwhile, the Bankers Association of
Zimbabwe met on Wednesday to find a way to enable an "unofficial"
devaluation of the Zimbabwe dollar so that growers of tobacco, the country's
key foreign exchange earner, will be able to make some profits. 

Although they declined immediate comment on the outcome of the meeting,
commercial bankers have said they realised that tobacco profitability had
been seriously affected by the pegged rate of 38 Zimbabwe dollars to the
American dollar. Zimbabwe is the world's third largest producer of tobacco. 

For a full report see:

ZIMBABWE: Concerns over food security mount

Concerns over food security in Zimbabwe are mounting as economic problems
deepen and political disturbances affect food production, the UN's Food and
Agricultural Organisation (FAO) said in a special alert at the weekend. "The
outlook for food security in Zimbabwe is unfavourable due to the combined
effect of adverse weather, serious economic problems and the current unrest
related to the issue of land reform which has adversely affected
agricultural activities on large-scale commercial farms," the FAO said. 

It said that the current political events were taking place at a time when
the farmers should be harvesting, processing and marketing their crops,
particularly maize, the country's staple and tobacco, the top foreign
exchange earner. 

For a full report see:

ZIMBABWE: Neighbouring countries prepare for possible influx

As the political turmoil in Zimbabwe continues, the country's neighbours in
southern Africa are preparing for an influx of Zimbabweans. Mengesha Kebede,
UNCHR representative in South Africa, told IRIN on Wednesday that a planning
meeting was held on 28 April with countries in region to review the current
situation in Zimbabwe and to "formulate some kind of contingency planning
should there be a large external displacement of Zimbabweans". 

For a full report see:

ZIMBABWE: UK sanctions dismissed

Zimbabwe has dismissed the impact of a British ban on the sale of military
equipment and police vehicles imposed in protest over the government's
crackdown on the opposition and handling of the land dispute. "We are
surprised by that decision as we were not buying weapons from them anyway,"
Information Minister Chen Chimutengwende was reported as saying on Thursday.
He added that new suppliers could be found for the air force's Hawk jet
fighters and Land Rovers for the police.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Reuters, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai
said that the British sanctions imposed on Wednesday were "nothing serious".
Asked if tougher measures should be imposed, he said: "Sanctions should be
the last resort (but) if the government declares a state of emergency and
rules by decree, then at that time there is no other option." Media reports
said on Thursday that the death toll in Zimbabwe's continuing political
violence has risen to 18.

ZIMBABWE: Military role in farm invasions alleged

Senior ruling party-linked officers in Zimbabwe's armed forces have
allegedly taken a direct role in organising the invasion of white commercial
farms by "war veterans", a military analyst told IRIN on Friday.

Confirming media reports in Zimbabwe and South Africa, the retired army
officer said he had "come across evidence that old party cadres in the
military have been organised to implement the strategy" of land invasions to
punish white farmers for their support of the opposition Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC). 

"The intelligence service provided the lists (of the farms to target), the
government provided the political strategy, and the armed forces provided
the logistics," the military source said. The government's approach is aimed
in part at ending the political influence of the farmers over their workers,
he added.

Media reports allege that the military has coordinated support for the
self-styled war veterans, trucking in food and cash as well as armed
soldiers to lead the occupations. The reports have named General Perence
Shiri, the head of the air force and former commander of the notorious Fifth
Brigade, as the architect of the land invasions.  

MOZAMBIQUE: Donors exceed target for flood reconstruction

International donors exceeded expectations in Rome on Thursday pledging US
$452.9 million, nearly US $3 million more than the government of Mozambique
had initially asked for. "This is a good day for Mozambique, a good day for
Africa, and a good day for development cooperation," Mark Malloch Brown,
Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said in a
statement. 

Some of the major donors were the United States which contributed over US
$130 million, the European Union which gave US $60 million, the Netherlands
US $45 million, the United Kingdom US $44.8 million and Japan US $30
million. The funds were pledged entirely in grant terms, which means that
the money will not have to be repaid. 

The first part of the aid, US $100 million, is expected to be disbursed by
the end of May, while the rest will be distributed over the next year mostly
going to small projects According to Malloch Brown, Mozambique's reputation
for political and economic reform led to the response. 

SOUTH AFRICA: Mbeki moves to reassure nation

In a special address to the nation on Thursday night, President Thabo Mbeki
tried to reassure South Africans that the country would not face a similar
crisis over land redistribution underway in neighbouring Zimbabwe.

On the eve of his departure to Zimbabwe on an official visit, he said that
South Africa would continue to offer Zimbabwe help to overcome the political
and economic instability surrounding the land issue. But Mbeki steered clear
of criticising either Mugabe or Britain, which has led international
criticism of the government's approach.

"Our government will work persistently and without making the noise of empty
drums, to help our sister people of Zimbabwe to find a just and lasting
solution to the real and pressing land question in their country," Mbeki
told the nation. He said that South Africa had "resisted the temptation to
assume a counter-productive, holier-than-thou attitude".

SOUTH AFRICA: Troops for DRC

South Africa is ready to deploy peacekeeping troops in the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) as soon as a formal request has been received from
the United Nations, a South African defence ministry spokesman told IRIN on
Tuesday.

Sam Mkhwanazi said South Africa, alongside Nigeria, would provide the bulk
of the peacekeeping troops in the war-torn country to monitor a ceasefire
agreement signed by the warring parties last July. "South Africa will deploy
the bulk of peacekeeping troops to DRC alongside Nigeria," Sam Mkhwanazi
said.

ZAMBIA-ANGOLA: Border insecurity

Humanitarian agencies in Zambia have expressed concern over deteriorating
security on the border with Angola amid continuing raids on Zambian villages
by unknown Angolan gunmen that has claimed the life of at least one Zambian
soldier, aid workers and military sources told IRIN. A Zambian soldier was
killed and three injured in an exchange of fire on Friday as they went to
investigate reports of Angolan gunmen rustling cattle from villages in the
southwestern border area of Sinjembela, an army spokesman said. 

He denied separate reports that two soldiers had been killed over the
weekend in Chavuma, further north. Humanitarian workers told IRIN that a
team, including officials from the government's disaster management office,
is due to visit Chavuma on Friday to investigate reports of increasing
numbers of villagers fleeing the border attacks into Chavuma central. Some
9,000 displaced returned to their villages in late March after the area was
stabilised by the army, "but the situation has deteriorated since mid-April
and the numbers of displaced are again rising," an aid worker said. 

The army spokesman said it was impossible to verify at the moment whether
the attackers were Angolan army (FAA) soldiers or UNITA rebels. He said the
incursions were "now a common phenomenon" but the identity of the raiders
could only be established "when we capture two or three". Diplomatic sources
told IRIN they were leaning towards the view the Angolan army has been
involved in at least some of the raids. "We don't know whether it is
politically motivated or whether it is foraging by isolated units," one
source said. 

ANGOLA: WFP convoy ambushed

One person was killed and another seriously wounded at the weekend when
suspected UNITA rebels ambushed a WFP food convoy and made off with supplies
intended for two kitchens run by Catholic Relief Services in the
southwestern town of Cubal. 

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Angola
told IRIN on Wednesday the attack occurred on Sunday when four lorries
carrying 50 mt of maize, beans, salt and cooking oil were ambushed just
outside Cubal 85 km inland from the coastal town of Lobito. "Three of the
lorries were burned and one managed to return," an OCHA spokesman said. "A
survivor reported seeing men in UNITA uniforms at the time." 

LESOTHO: Election delay

Lesotho's general elections initially scheduled for this year are only
likely to be held next year because a new voters' roll has to be compiled,
political sources said. Bereng Sekhonyana, co-chairperson of the 24-member
multiparty Independent Political Authority (IPA), told IRIN on Thursday that
a team of Commonwealth experts visited the country recently to assess its
preparedness for elections this year. "The team's key finding was that
Lesotho can realistically hold elections next March," he said.

For a full report see:

LESOTHO: More miners lose jobs

More than 10,000 Lesotho miners employed in South African gold have lost
their jobs since the beginning of this year, and more might follow, further
straining Lesotho's struggling economy, sources in the country told IRIN.

"Many of these retrenched mineworkers return to Lesotho where they face
bleak employment prospects," Puseletso Salae of the Mineworkers Development
Agency (MDA) in Lesotho's capital, Maseru, said. South Africa's mining
industry has been hard hit by declining gold prices in world markets and the
fact that gold deposits are now located deeper underground, leading to
higher mining costs -and increased danger to miners. 

Unemployment among Lesotho's population of about two million is estimated at
between 40 and 45 percent. In his budget speech in March, Finance Minister
Kelebone Maope told parliament that a further 17,000 Basotho mineworkers
face job losses this year.

NAMIBIA: Compensation for soldiers

The Namibian government is to make compensation payments to the families of
36 soldiers killed on military service in the DRC. 'The Namibian' newspaper
quoted a defence ministry official as saying that the families would receive
US $37,000 each. He added that compensation would also be paid to soldiers
who had suffered "permanent disability". Media reports said the death toll -
the largest figure yet released by the government - included victims of
combat, but also disease and accidents.

SOUTHERN AFRICA: Growing threats to press freedom

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) this week singled out the
governments of Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Angola for cracking down on freedom of
the press. Presenting its sixth annual report on the state of media freedom
in the region to mark World Press Freedom Day on Wednesday, the institute
said that last year 40 journalists and other media workers in 11 southern
African nations had been detained for periods ranging from a few hours to
several weeks.

Johannesburg, 5 May 13:15 gmt


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Fax: +27-11 447 5472
Email: irin-sa@irin.org.za 


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