The Global Fund has released $236 million to support Zimbabwe’s efforts to combat AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.The money will cover programmes implemented by the health sector in the next three years. $183 million will go to HIV and AIDS $19 million to TB and $34 million to malaria. For the first time in 10 years, the Global Fund last year cancelled pending funding rounds for countries, suspending new grants due to lack of funding from donors, most Western, who are facing financial crises in their own backyards.
Projects that are currently supported by the fund have been guaranteed resources until they run their lifespans, but there will be no money for new initiatives until 2014. Director Albert
Chambati of the Justice Aids Trust said dwindling international support for organizations like the Global Fund will affect the ordinary people, especially in developing countries. He told VOA reporter Tatenda Gumbo immediate action needs to be taken to avoid disaster in the near future. – VOA
Media monitors freed
Three media monitors have finally been freed after Magistrate Sheila Nazombe granted an application for refusal of further remand.Fadzai December, Molly Chimhanda and Gilbert Mabusa are facing trial for insulting or undermining the authority of President Robert Mugabe but made a constitutional application to the Supreme Court arguing the charges they are facing infringe on their rights.
The Constitutional Court is yet to make a ruling and the state will now proceed by way of summons. They allegedly showed a DVD saying President Mugabe is a wanted person for murder of various people and that the state media is biased and supportive of Zanu(PF). – VOP
Give us Byo, says China
The Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe XinShunkang has said Bulawayo is full of promise and if given a chance his country could turn it into a modern industrial zone. Speaking at the recent trade fair he said government should experiment by giving the city to
China so that they can turn it into a modern city.“Entrepreneurs from China will find abundant business opportunities here,” he said. “In the early 1970s, the Chinese situation was like the Zimbabwean situation today, and the Chinese provided land to foreign companies, who provided capital for its development.”
China had the biggest contingent at this year’s fair, with 200 participants from 32 companies, overtaking South Africa as the biggest foreign exhibitor. – VOP
Cops bar Radio Dialogue show
The police stopped a Radio Dialogue road show outside the Trade Fair grounds in Bulawayo on Saturday. Advocacy officer, Nothando Mpofu, said that the show had been going for less than four hours when riot police ordered it to be stopped citing lack of space.
Radio Dialogue has used the space for the past five years and had city council clearance to use it.
The show was to promote peace building among citizens of Bulawayo.“Radio dialogue condemns such behaviour by the police and calls on to respect rights of citizens – especially rights to assembly, association and expression. Only if such fundamental rights are respected, that we can hope for a functioning democracy,” she added.– VOP
Only 12 for Olympics
Zimbabwe is likely to send only 12 athletes to the 2012 London Olympic Games as most do not meet the Olympic qualifying standards. This was revealed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee, Anna Mguni, who said only those with real potential would go to the international games. So far, ZOC has picked five athletes including swimmer Kirsty Coventry who won seven medals at the past two Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 and in Beijing in 2008.
Makoni slams COPAC
Simba Makoni leader of Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn has branded Copac a waste of time and national resources. Speaking at a meeting organised by Zimbabwe Youth In Politics in Kwekwe last Friday, Makoni was quoted saying that what Zimbabwe needed was a leadership that could respect the constitution because a supreme law under the same leadership of Zanu (PF) and President Robert Mugabe would yield the same results of “anarchy”.
“We all know a constitution which is good for our nation, this Copac is an excuse for people to earn allowances and make money. What we want is a leadership which can respect that constitution and a people who will not allow that document to be abused by a few individuals,” said Makoni.
Dollarization hurt Zesa
While other sectors of the economy jumped with joy at dollarization in 2009, the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority suffered a great deal, says Elton Mangoma, the Minister of Energy. The power utility was owed $550 million and people refused to pay, either because they could not afford to or because they questioned the irregular billing.
“We are now disconnecting not only the small domestic users but some big companies in Zimbabwe in order to get our outstanding money,” said Mangoma, adding that he had met the Mozambican Minister of Energy to sort out Zimbabwe’s huge bill with that country, which supplies a huge quantity of electricity.
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