Friday, February 13, 2009
MDC MP abducted
MDC media alert: Roy Bennett, MDC Treasurer General and Deputy Minister of Agriculture designate has just been abducted by Police from the Law and Order section at Prince Charles airport just outside Harare. The police were led by one Assistant Commissioner Nyongwe.
He was taken in a white Toyota with registration number is AAP 4851. We understand that they are taking him to Marondera, where there is notorious torture and interogation base, the same place MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti was taken upon his return from South Africa. Details to follow .
(SW Radio Africa: We believe arrest warrants have been issued for election expert Topper Whitehead and MDC MP for Marondera, Ian Kay. We also believe the leaders of the three political parties are in an emergency meeting and the swearing in of the Cabinet is delayed.)
Friday, February 06, 2009
Judge frees MDC’s Biti
A Zimbabwean judge has dropped charges of treason against the secretary general of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, Tendai Biti. He had faced a possible death sentence after being accused of plotting a coup against President Robert Mugabe. But Magistrate Olivia Mariga said prosecutors appeared unprepared to proceed against Mr Biti.
MoreMugabe to sign unity deal bill
Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe is due to sign into law a constitutional amendment allowing his rival Morgan Tsvangirai to become prime minister. It paves the way for the men to share power, as agreed last September. Meanwhile, a judge has dismissed treason charges against a key opposition MDC figure, removing another obstacle to forming a unity government.
MoreThursday, February 05, 2009
U.S. statement on Zimbabwe unity government
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has agreed to join a unity government with Robert Mugabe under the conditions called for in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) January 27 Communiqué. The success or failure of such a government will depend on credible and inclusive power sharing by Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party.
MoreCholera crisis worsening
Zimbabwe’s cholera crisis has reached unprecedented levels with nearly 63,000 people being infected by the epidemic, according to a report by a United Nations agency. The epidemic, which began in August, has already killed more than 3,000 people - the deadliest outbreak in Africa in 15 years, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said. The report said lack of awareness about the disease, inaccessibility to clean water and medicine shortages have made stopping the spread of cholera impossible.
MoreTuesday, February 03, 2009
Zimbabwe dollar sheds 12 zeros
Zimbabwe is revaluing its dollar again, removing twelve zeros from the currency with immediate effect. The country’s central bank is introducing seven new notes in an effort to stave off economic collapse. The country is in the grip of world-record hyperinflation. The most recent estimate in July 2008 put it at 231m%. Only last month, a Z$100 trillion note was introduced and the government moved to allow people to use foreign currencies alongside Zimbabwe’s dollar.
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