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 218
12 - 18 FEbruary 2005


CONTENTS:

ZIMBABWE: Concern over election observers delay
ZAMBIA: Supreme Court upholds Mwanawasa's election
MALAWI: Mutharika forms new party
SWAZILAND: Economic woes blamed on poor quality of education
MADAGASCAR: UN cooperation agreement to tackle poverty
ANGOLA: Deciding to go it alone
MOZAMBIQUE: IMF release proverty reduction loan
LESOTHO: Programme aims to improve food security and community
   resistance to shocks
NAMIBIA: Caprivi flood warning issued
SOUTH AFRICA: AIDS activists demand expansion of national treatment


ZIMBABWE: Concern over election observers delay

The government of Zimbabwe says it will reduce the number of local 
election monitors and bar teams from the European Union (EU) from 
observing the parliamentary poll scheduled for 31 March.

Patrick Chinamasa, the justice, legal and parliamentary affairs 
minister, told IRIN there was a need to reduce the number of observers 
to avoid "chaos", and alleged that observer teams from the EU had tried 
to destabilise the country in the past.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45556


ZANU-PF out wooing women

A decision by Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party to field 30 female 
candidates in the March 2005 parliamentary elections has had mixed 
reactions.

ZANU-PF's female members have been asking for the quota since 1999, but 
complying with the request six weeks before the elections on 31 March 
would suggest that the party is using it to attract votes - now that the 
rhetoric on land reform has all but worn out.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45606


COSATU pushes ahead with Zim border blockade

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is to blockade 
Zimbabwe's borders early next month as part of an intensive protest 
campaign to press for free and fair elections in Zimbabwe on 31 March, 
an official told IRIN.

COSATU spokesman Patrick Craven said the union would also picket and 
demonstrate at the Zimbabwean High Commission offices in Pretoria in the 
next few weeks. The campaign was endorsed by COSATU's central executive 
committee at a meeting this week.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45619


WOZA activists demand violence-free polls

Bearing placards proclaiming, "The power of love can conquer the love of 
power", a group of activists from Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) marched 
through the streets of the capital, Harare, on St Valentine's Day on 
Monday to demand democratic and violence-free elections in March.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45553


Media, opposition complain of harassment

The arrest of an opposition election official in Zimbabwe earlier this 
week ran counter to the spirit of the Southern African Development 
Community's (SADC) principles and guidelines on holding a free and fair 
poll, local civil society groups told IRIN on Friday.

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), a coalition of NGOs, said 
the arrest of Ian Makone, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change 
(MDC) election coordinator, defied the SADC principles on democratic 
elections agreed to in Mauritius last year.

Makone was arrested in the capital, Harare, on Wednesday for organising 
"an illegal meeting", said police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena. He was 
charged with violating the Public Order and Security Act (POSA), which 
effectively bans any assembly without police permission, but was 
released the same day.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45656


IMF gives authorities one more chance

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has given Zimbabwe one more chance 
to prove its commitment to fiscal discipline and meet its debt repayment 
obligations.

The IMF executive board said in a statement that its decision to 
postpone a ruling on the compulsory withdrawal of the country from the 
Fund was based on "the severity of the decision at hand, the increases 
in [debt service] payments from Zimbabwe since the last review in July 
2004, and some improvement in economic policies".

Dennis Nikisi, economics professor at the University of Zimbabwe, 
welcomed the news that the country had been given a reprieve. The IMF 
realised that, with Zimbabwe increasing its quarterly debt service 
instalments from US $1.5 million to $5 million, "at least an effort is 
being made" by the administration to honour agreements with the Fund, he 
added.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45650


ZAMBIA: Supreme Court upholds Mwanawasa's election

A Supreme Court ruling upholding the controversial election of Zambia's 
President Levy Mwanawasa has received a mixed response from civil 
society.

While acknowledging that the 2001 ballot was flawed, the Court ruled on 
Wednesday that the irregularities had not affected the final result, and 
declined to order a recount of election results.

The complaints filed in January 2002, just 14 days after Mwanawasa took 
office, alleged that the poll had been rigged, and that the ruling 
Movement for Multi-Party Democracy had used state funds to buy campaign 
vehicles - a violation of Zambian law.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45628


Boost for water and sanitation

The Danish government is to launch a four-year water sector support 
programme to help Zambia provide increased access to safe water and 
sanitation, improving the food security and health of low-income rural 
and urban residents.

The K162 billion (US $35 million) project will be implemented by the 
ministries of local government and housing, and energy and water 
development.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45570


EU gives $90.8 million for Zambian roads

The European Union (EU) has given Zambia a grant of about US $90.8 
million to help refurbish its road network, an official told IRIN.

"The funds will go towards the second phase of the Road Sector 
Investment Programme (ROADSIP II)," said EU spokesman Wilcliff Sakala.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45531


MALAWI: Mutharika forms new party

Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika is moving ahead with the formation 
of a new political party, following his resignation from the United 
Democratic Front (UDF) earlier this month.

Mutharika's press officer, Prescot Gonani, told IRIN that the president 
intended calling his new party the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45569


Improved healthcare on the cards as aid resumes

Ordinary Malawians can expect to see an improvement in medical care as 
international donors step in to rescue the country's ailing health 
system.

The impact of HIV/AIDS is reflected in a rising death toll, while health 
services have been hard hit by drug shortages due to budget cuts; an 
exodus of medical personnel to richer western nations is threatening to 
cripple the already struggling sector.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45554


IMF team to monitor financial performance

International Monetary Fund (IMF) representatives are visiting Malawi 
this week to analyse the country's financial performance in the last 
quarter of 2004.

The IMF team visited the country last November and said it was impressed 
with the economic performance of government, and especially its fight 
against corruption.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45552


SWAZILAND: Economic woes blamed on poor quality of education

Swaziland's poor economic performance is the direct result of the 
kingdom's inferior education system, which is producing functionally 
illiterate students, the minister of education, Constance Simelane, has 
warned.

"The Swazi economy is struggling as a result of the current manpower 
crisis: an oversupply of underqualified labour, and a shortage of 
skilled and supervisory personnel," Simelane noted at a conference on 
remedial education.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45602


HIV-positive women's group creates agricultural cooperative

Swazis for Positive Living (SWAPOL), launched by a group of middle-aged 
HIV-positive Swazi women, is breaking new ground by developing 
self-sustaining agricultural projects in an effort to be less dependent 
on donor organisations.

"Donor funding comes with strings attached - it's best if you can 
prosper without it," said a younger volunteer, Joyce Nxumalo, a slim 
22-year-old wearing a red AIDS ribbon.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45548


MADAGASCAR: UN cooperation agreement to tackle poverty

A recent cooperation agreement between three UN agencies and Madagascar, 
worth US $101 million, is expected to give impetus to the government's 
efforts to reduce widespread poverty.

The partnership brings together the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the 
UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in a 
joint bid to tackle five key areas of concern in the impoverished island 
country.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45555


Ministry of justice and magistrates lock horns over pay

Madagascar's ministry of justice has dug in its heels and refused to 
yield to demands of striking magistrates for better pay and working 
conditions.

According to a government source in the capital, Antananarivo, tensions 
were heightening as Justice Minister Lala Ratsiharovala threatened to 
suspend the salaries of magistrates who joined the stay-away, which 
kicked off on Monday.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45568


ANGOLA: Deciding to go it alone

Angola will not be held to ransom by unjust conditions attached to 
international community support, President Jose Eduardo dos Santos said 
in a speech on Friday.

In a major snub to global financial institutions, including the 
International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dos Santos said Angola would simply 
intensify its efforts to secure bilateral and private funding for its 
post-war reconstruction and development.

In a speech to the Central Committee of the ruling MPLA party, the 
president bemoaned the fact that, despite two years of intense 
diplomatic relations, the international community still appeared 
unwilling to back a donor conference - seen as key to securing funds for 
the country's post-war development.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45652

Angola unable to meet IMF criteria, finance minister

Angola's finance minister has said the issue of an agreement with the 
International Monetary Fund (IMF) was being politicised and this was 
scuppering the country's efforts to hold a donor conference.

The government told the media in November 2004 that it expected a 
windfall of US $600 million for the year, due to skyrocketing oil 
prices, but donor sources earlier this month criticised the authorities 
for failing to answer IMF questions on the whereabouts of the money.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45572


MOZAMBIQUE: IMF release proverty reduction loan

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has completed its first review of 
Mozambique's economic performance in terms of the Poverty Reduction and 
Growth Facility (PRGF).

PRGF arrangements are the IMF's concessional loan facility for 
low-income countries, and programmes supported by it are based on the 
poverty reduction strategy. Mozambique's three-year facility has been 
running since July 2004.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45600


LESOTHO: Programme aims to improve food security and community 
resistance to shocks

The Consortium for Southern Africa Food Security Emergency (C-SAFE) has 
launched a new programme in Lesotho, aimed at alleviating food 
insecurity by promoting rural livelihoods and increasing productive 
assets, the organisation said.

"C-SAFE members World Vision, CARE and Catholic Relief Services will 
implement a food-for-assets programme in six vulnerable districts. 
Around 14,500 households will receive food resources through projects 
designed to restore agricultural productivity and infrastructure, and 
develop local capacity," Paul Kinuthia, World Vision Lesotho, was quoted 
as saying in a statement.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45623


NAMIBIA: Caprivi flood warning issued

Namibia's Emergency Management Unit (EMU) on Friday reissued an appeal 
to residents living along the Zambezi river in northeastern Caprivi to 
evacuate the area after reports that the water was rising.

"The latest indications show that the water level in the river is 
increasing extremely fast. As of this morning (Friday) it stood at 1.87 
m, compared to 2.11m on the same day last year [when the area 
experienced flooding]. We expect that by next week it will probably 
reach 1.9m or even 2m," EMU deputy director, Gabriel Kangowa, told IRIN.

He said the EMU had issued a warning to residents of flood-prone areas 
to move to higher ground. Last year, large portions of eastern Caprivi 
were submerged in the worst floods since 1958, reportedly affecting 
50,000 people.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45651


Aquaculture could boost forex earnings and food security

A lack of funding is preventing Namibia's fledgling aquaculture industry 
from taking off on a large scale, according to experts at a three-day 
conference.

Aquaculture, or fish farming, could boost Namibia's food security and 
has the potential to increase foreign exchange earnings from exports, 
analysts said.

Delegates from Norway, Spain and South Africa delivered presentations of 
their successes in aquaculture, mainly with salmon, catfish, tilapia and 
oysters.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45627


SOUTH AFRICA: AIDS activists demand expansion of national treatment

South Africa's AIDS activists once again marched to parliament on 
Wednesday, launching a campaign to put more HIV-positive people on the 
national treatment programme.

The AIDS lobby group, Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), will spend the 
rest of this year campaigning for 200,000 people to be treated with 
antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in the public sector by the beginning of 
2006, and at least 10 percent of them must be children.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45608


IRIN-SA
Tel: +27 11 895-1900
Fax: +27 11 784-6759
Email: IRIN-SA@irin.org.za

[This Item is Delivered to the "Africa-English" Service of the UN's IRIN 
humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views 
of the United Nations. For further information, free subscriptions, or 
to change your keywords, contact e-mail: IRIN@ocha.unon.org or Web: 
http://www.irinnews.org . If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this 
item, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Reposting by commercial 
sites requires written IRIN permission.]

Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 
2005


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International                  web: www.cidi.org
     Disaster Information             listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
                                    guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Southern Africa                  www.cidi.org/humanitarian/irin/safrica