Zimbabwe: Gono, Tomana Face the Axe

PRIME MINISTER Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday said the fate of Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana would be “first on the agenda” of the new government.In his first interview after being sworn-in as Prime Minister, Tsvangirai told The Standard the new government would have to “sit down” and objectively evaluate the work of the two officials.Gono, who has been considered by many as the de facto Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, has attracted widespread criticism for the way he has stoked inflation by printing high denomination bank notes. He has also controversially funded Zanu PF campaign programmes.

Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai to Pay Civil Servants in Foreign Currency

Newly-inaugurated Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has pledged to pay health workers, teachers, soldiers, police officers and civil service professionals in foreign currency from the end of this month. In return, he has asked that schools be re-opened and civil servants return to their desks by next Monday.In the text of his inaugural address, released by his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) after he was sworn in on Wednesday, Tsvangirai said his top priorities were:

Zimbabwe: Cholera Cases Rise Above 70,000

The number of Zimbabweans infected with cholera has risen above 70,000, a new update released by the World Health Organisation has stated.A staggering 1,950 new cases were reported on Monday, with 67 cholera-related deaths, whereas only 362 were reported the previous day along, with nine deaths.The humanitarian aid agency, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), reports that 50 to 60 percent of boreholes in rural areas are not functional, forcing residents to use water from streams and lakes.

Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai Names His Cabinet Team

MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai on Tuesday named his cabinet team that will join Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party in a unity government.Tendai Biti, the party’s secretary general and chief negotiator, was named Finance Minister. The contentious Home Affairs portfolio that will be co-shared by ZANU PF has been given to Dangamvura and Chikanga MP in Mutare, Giles Mutsekwa.

Zimbabwe: Legislators Speak With One Voice

Harare — UNITY and maturity prevailed in the two houses of Parliament yesterday when legislators from the three main political parties, along with an independent, united to push Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 19) Bill through the House of Assembly and Senate within hours.Described as a historic day by Zanu-PF, MDC-T and MDC legislators attending the momentous session, the mood cascaded to both the Speaker’s and Press galleries exuding a brotherly atmosphere that has been missing in the country for years due to political polarisation.

Zimbabwe: Motlanthe Confident Govt of Unity Will Work

Addis Ababa — President Kgalema Motlanthe is confident that the establishment of a government of national unity in Zimbabwe will be a success, saying that initially the inclusive government would aim to stabilise the political and economic situation in that country.Briefing media at the12th African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government Summit early on Wednesday morning, the President said the establishment of an inclusive government would allow for all political parties to work together and shape conducive conditions to holding elections.

Zimbabwe: Barack Obama Plans Increased Pressure on Mugabe

Newly elected US President Barack Obama is in discussion with his top African advisers on adopting a fresh and robust approach towards restoring democracy in Zimbabwe.According to a Times Newspaper report Obama, and his newly appointed UN Ambassador Susan Rice, want the crisis in Zimbabwe to be taken to the UN Security Council, to get tough targeted sanctions approved. The new administration is advocating a series of measures, that will include a ban on arms sales and foreign investment to Zimbabwe and to increase the number of Zanu PF officials, businesspersons and companies blacklisted for being aligned to the regime.

Zimbabwe: SADC Sets 5 Feb Deadline for Zim Constitutional Amendment

Pretoria — Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders have given Zimbabwe political leaders until 5 February 2009 to pass Constitutional Amendment 19.Constitutional Amendment 19 makes provision for the creation of the post of prime minister and deputy prime minister for Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) faction leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, respectively.Addressing local and international media early Tuesday morning after over 12 hours around the negotiation table, SADC Executive Secretary Dr Tomaz Salomao said the people of Zimbabwe are faced with very difficult challenges that require an inclusive government.

Africa: Hillary Clinton Outlines Obama?s Africa Policy

Washington DC — The foreign policy objectives of the Obama administration in Africa are rooted in security, political, economic and humanitarian interests, Secretary of State–designate Hillary Clinton told a U.S. Senate committee January 13.In testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Clinton said the Obama administration’s foreign policy objectives for Africa also include “combating al-Qaida’s efforts to seek safe havens in failed states in the Horn of Africa; helping African nations to conserve their natural resources and reap fair benefits from them; stopping war in Congo; [and] ending autocracy in Zimbabwe and human devastation in Darfur.”

Zimbabwe: ‘Life is Like a Casino – We Live Each Day as it Comes’

Harare — Long lines of stalls, run by women, have sprung up next to many of Zimbabwe’s highways, selling honey, milk, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions and chickens.As prices in towns skyrocket due to unprecedented inflation levels running in the millions, people leave their towns to purchase basic commodities.This precarious way of survival involves child labour and exposes the traders to dangers ranging from bad weather and disease to robbery and being run over by cars.Children labour alongside the adults to eke out an existence. Small children as young as three years are involved in the selling of goods. This is justified by some as children being allowed to grow an enterprising spirit and to be able to work for themselves.