nt of a little-known Bulawayo-based opposition party, the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) is being jointly charged in the matter with political activist Jethro Mkhwananzi.
The two are accused of violating the tough Public Order and Security Act (POSA) after they allegedly told people at a public meeting in 2004 to rise and topple Mugabe whom they accused of butchering the Ndebele people during the early 1980s.- ZimOnline
Chiwenga evades EU travel sanctions
HARARE – The French government persists in cocking a snook at the reset of the EU by permitting senior Zanu (PF) officials to visit the country in contravention of the travel ban.
Although she appears on the list, Jocelyn Chiwenga, wife of Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander, was given a visa to go to Paris recently to receive a little-known award, the Golden European Quality New Millennium Award, on behalf of her Harare-based protective clothing manufacturing company Zim-Safe.
The French have even invited Mugabe and his wife to Paris to attend a Franco-African summit in defiance of the targeted sanctions to which they are a signatory.
Recent media reports from Harare say that French Embassy officials are the only western diplomats who still propose a toast to Mugabe at their national day celebrations – Bastille Day. Other embassies raise a toast only to the people of Zimbabwe. – ZimOnline
Germans investigated
HARARE – Zimbabwe’s security forces are investigating a German foundation for allegedly financing meetings of the Tsvangirai-led Movement for Democratic Change.
The Friedrich Ebert Stiftung is alleged to have given money to Tsvangirai’s group for meetings in April at a local hotel and at a training centre in Harare, contravening sections of the Political Parties Finance Act, which forbids foreign funding of political parties. – Staff reporter
Love across the political divide
CHINHOYI – Ruling Zanu (PF) party legislator Cecilia Gwachiwa has been hauled before the party’s disciplinary committee here over allegations that her live-in boyfriend is a member of the opposition MDC, which zealots of President Robert Mugabe’s party here consider an offence.
Gwachiwa is the Member of Parliament for Hurungwe East constituency, a bastion of ZANU (PF). Senior party officias allege that she is in a romantic relationship with Henry Juru, who they accuse of having close links with Zimbabwe’s main opposition.
Gwachiwa has denied that her boyfriend is a member of the MDC saying the allegation was part of a smear campaign to tarnish her image.- ZimOnline
All stakeholders to meet
HARARE – An all-stakeholders conference, organised by the Christian Alliance, will take place on Saturday at a city hotel. Some 500 delegates are expected to attend, representing churches, civic society and all political parties, to discuss the Zimbabwean crisis. This is the first time everyone has sat down together under one roof to thrash out the way forward. – Staff reporter