e for a story published in its issue of June 22-28 headlined Cyberspace Blocked. This story claims that MWEB has issued a statement inferring that the Government is interfering with its technology systems to monitor customer communications. This a complete misinterpretation of a statement to MWEB customers sent out last week in which an explanation was given for recent slow browsing speeds, attributing these to technical problems beyond its control. This original statement did not refer directly or indirectly to “interference” by the authorities and MWEB Zimbabwe is distressed and disappointed that its statement could be misinterpreted and that no comment or clarification was sought by the newspaper before the article was published.”
* We apologise unreservedly for the story, which had been received from one of our stringers inside Zimbabwe. – Editor
Police launch Op ‘No going back’
HARARE – Desperate Zimbabwean police this week rounded up more than 100 foreign currency dealers as authorities battled to suppress a booming parallel market where the greenback hit an all-time high of Z$410 000 against the increasingly worthless Zimdollar.
Most of the arrests were made at the Roadport bus station in central Harare where buses from the region arrive and depart.
“We have been conducting raids on a daily basis on the spots that are prominent in foreign currency deals like Roadport and we have undercover officers that are stationed at these areas,” police spokesperson Andrew Phiri said. “We can confirm that to date 134 arrests have been made.”
Zimbabwean police recently launched a new blitz to enforce a ban on street vendors, touts and black marketeers in the city centre. Dubbed Operation No Going Back, this is a follow-up to Operation Murambatzvina, launched one year ago that also saw the demolition of houses, cottages and backyard shacks across the country and the arrest of tens of thousands of traders.
The UN roundly condemned the operation. – CAJ News
Makwavarara takes control
HARARE – Sekesayi Makwavarara, the unelected chair of the Harare Commission is reportedly trying to oust the town clerk, Nomutsa Chideya, and has assumed executive control of the council.
With the full knowledge of the minister of local government, Ignatius Chombo and Harare Metropolitan Resident minister, David Karimanzira, Makwavarara has banned
commission, committee and heads of department meetings and directed that all matters be sent to her office.
She has denied press reports that she wants to get rid of Chideya, who has apparently been accused of leaking information to the press. Makwavarara hit the headlines recently when she tried to sell herself a municipal dwelling at a fraction of its market price, and spent unauthorised billions of dollars of the cash-strapped council’s money to buy herself a satellite dish, furniture and personal groceries. – Staff reporter
Travel ban to stay
LONDON – The European Union and the United States pledged last week to maintain personal travel and monetary bans on President Robert Mugabe and his top Zanu (PF) officials in an effort to bring about the rule of law and respect for human rights and democracy.
The travel restrictions affect about 120 individuals who are banned from travelling in the EU and the US. Private assets in their names are supposed to be frozen, but up to now not one has had any assets found as they are hidden in the accounts of their children and other relatives.
Mugabe’s propaganda machinery persists in claiming that these restrictions are illegal ‘sanctions’ against Zimbabwe and are responsible for the economic collapse of the country.
His critics say that the alarming economic meltdown is solely due to poor governance, political repression and the corruption-riddled ‘land reform programme’ that destabilised agriculture, sending food production tumbling by about 60 percent.
However, the European leaders are not all united on this. According to diplomatic sources, some countries such as France, are putting pressure on the others to give the Mugabe regime an international platform.
A few years ago, the French were criticised for inviting Mugabe to attend a Franco-African Summit in Paris in breach of the travel ban. – Staff reporter
Bredenkamp denies reports
HARARE – Zimbabwean business tycoon John Bredenkamp has denied reports he has fled Zimbabwe after government opened full-scale investigations into his business empire on allegations of economic crimes.
Bredenkamp, who has a wide range of mining and tobacco interests in Zimbabwe, is rumoured to be linked to top ruling party politicians, including former speaker of parliament Emmerson Mnangagwa. Unlike other prominent white businessmen he has been spared from scrutiny until now.
The tycoon, ranked the 33rd richest businessman in the UK did confirm that the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe had recently ‘made enquiries’ into his businesses.
Reports suggested he was being investigated by the National Economic Conduct Inspectorate (NECI), a little-known body that appears to be part of Zimbabwe’s newly-launched drive against corruption. – CAJ News