Letters to the Editor

The tri-engine white plane with a blue stripe across its body, then belonging to Dodson Aviation of South Africa and marked N4610, had made a stopover in Harare to refuel and collect a consignment of weapons bought from the Zimbabwe Defence Industries.

Zimbabwean security details seized and detained the plane because prior to landing its captain had made a false declaration of its cargo and crew to the Civil Aviation Authority at Harare International Airport. The captain advised Harare tower that there were only three crew members and four loaders onboard when in actual fact the plane was carrying 64 mercenaries on their way to Equatorial Guinea to topple the government of President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo in a coup detat.

The mercenaries were arrested, detained, tried and jailed for contravening the Public Order and Security Act, Fire Arms Act and the Immigration Act in a highly publicized case. The Boeing was later forfeited to the state in early September 2004. According to international law, the mercenaries had up to three years to contest the forfeiture of their plane.

The three years lapsed in September 2007 with no contest thus the plane was put under the custody of the Ministry of Defence by integrating it into the Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ). The AFZ public relations department is not in a habit of informing the nation of any arrivals of new aircraft, otherwise an article concerning the Boeing, would long have appeared in the press. The plane has long since been moved to Manyame Air Base, formerly New Sarum, and there are two possible scenarios here:

Either the state could still have not decided what to do with the plane, meaning it could still be parked at Manyame, ying idle and forgotten about. This is a very unlikely scenario so I wont dwell much on it.

Or the plane was serviced, had the AFZ insignia sprayed on and was brought back to active duty. This is the more likely scenario. The AFZ has some very competent technicians who would not have any difficulty in acquiring the requisite spare parts and keeping the Boeing airworthy. Should there be any problems the national airline operates Boeing 767s and 737s and would be more than willing to lend their technical expertise and operational experience to the AFZ, should it be required.

The plane would be used for training and other local missions but unlikely to be flown beyond the national borders. The ex-commercial 727-100 is not a new aircraft, having made its first flight on October 15, 1964 and in service under different owners since then.

My bet is that it has joined the Spanish Casa 212-200 Aviocar and Britten-Norman BN-2T Islander at Number 3 Squadron based at Manyame Air Base, the home of the AFZs transport fleet, together with the elusive Ilyushin Il-76 Candid heavy transporter. It is arguably the first Boeing to be flown by the AFZ and arguably the first aircraft the AFZ has acquired free of charge.

Cassius Sande, Harare

Mashiri said it all listen to him

EDITOR – It is very sad to note the different words that came out of the Zanu (PF) conference. Words such as “crush, bury, revenge, retaliate,” and more. The party simply cannot accept that the war of liberation ended in 1980 with independence. When the majority of Zimbabweans hunger after peace, Zanu (PF) perpetuates the war; a war against an imagined enemy and, even worse, a war against their own people. Truthfully put, all the average Zimbabwean desires is the right to determine their future and who will lead them in a fair and peaceful vote. It is not a lot to ask for.

I read Clifford Chitupa Mashiri’s address to the conference and saw only wisdom, clarity and the truth. He speaks for just about every single Zimbabwean and very few could have said it better. Our hearts all cry for what Clifford so eloquently stated. I suppose it was too much to ask that Zanu (PF) take to heart his words with the revelation that every word he spoke was the peoples heart cry.

Instead the war cry grew louder; the threats more menacing. I believe Clifford went there as a peacemaker and I applaud his courage to speak right into the core of Zanu (PF). Did his words fall on deaf ears? I think that they probably did as so many of our entreaties to Zanu (PF) have in the past. But certainly, God heard them. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be well satisfied……Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God.” Matthew 5: 2-11

God is watching and Zanu (PF) is digging its pit deeper and deeper. The Bible says that those who dig a hole will fall into it. Supporters of Zanu (PF) have brought a curse down upon their own heads and only brokenness and repentance will avert it.

Nan, Harare

Finally we can celebrate!

EDITOR – After a wait of 13 + months for our goods to arrive by sea, we have finally unpacked most of our belongings. That is thanks to Everyday Freight who took over from the person who originally took our goods and promised we would have them by Christmas 2009.

Bobnus Zonda of Everyday Freight, UK, worked tirelessly to rectify the delay caused by the previous shipper and against all odds managed to get the container on the sea for us. They organised the whole clearing procedure which was a bit mind boggling for us. We could not have done without their help.

We are so grateful to have our goodies, particularly the items of great sentimental value. We wish we had used Everyday Freight right from the start and can recommend them as being helpful and very courteous. It has been wonderful also to dish out all the Christmas presents, all be it, one year later.

A few lost items and one bag spoiled from long storage which got wet, but otherwise, we can say that we are happy now that the situation has been resolved.

Lorna and Mike Begbie, Zimbabwe

GNU – Who is to blame?

EDITOR – Our Zimbabwe Government of National Unity (GNU) has failed on the promises to its people. After what the Zimbabwean population faced in the hands of the Dictator Robert Mugabe, before, during and after the 2008 elections, I think the idea of the GNU was a noble one, in some sense.

It helped to ease the prevailing political tensions and also stabilize the economy which was almost destroyed. The partnership between Zanu (PF) and MDC has proved that the two can not work together. But Zanu (PF) is not genuine in all its day to day dealings with MDC. It is on record that Zanu (PF)s representative in the deal that brought about the GNU, Patrick Chinamasa, is said to have tampered with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The hatred portrayed by the Mugabe regime towards Tsvangirais MDC has resulted in the failure of this GNU. Its like mixing milk with crude oil. The result is obvious, it does not work.

Zanu (PF) continues to use the control of the security forces, police, secret agents and the judiciary to arrest, detain, harass, torture, and even kill those it considers opponents, including senior MDC figures.

Mugabe’s allies in southern Africa have repeatedly called for the lifting of travel restrictions against Zanu (PF) leaders. Zanu (PF) is blaming MDC for these restrictions.

The SADC leadership has failed to support the masses of Zimbabwe by not forcing Mugabe to implement the peoples wishes (2008 Election Results). The masses of Zimbabwe clearly showed that they wanted a Regime Change when they voted Mugabe out of power in all previous elections starting from 2002. The SADC leadership failed to do like what their counterpart ECOWAS is doing in Ivory Coast. The International community needs to step up and express disapproval of the political violence in Zimbabwe.

It is known that Mugabe is now making unilateral decisions without consulting his partners in the GNU.

The international world must know that Mugabe, who in the 80s was a hero after liberating Zimbabwe, is now the number one Enemy of the people. He is to blame.

Mugabe and his cronies have failed us. They are just in power by default. It is time for them to relinquish power to the peoples choice.

The elections called for by Mugabe will not yield anything if things remain in the current state, a lot needs to be done. 1) The voters roll needs to be updated. Some of the Zimbabweans who died in the 80s are still appearing on the roll. This has been a tool for Mugabe to rig the elections. 2) Mugabes relative in charge of the voters roll, Tobaiwa Mudede must be removed from the post and be replaced by someone neutral. 3) The new constitution needs to be in place first before we talk of elections. 4) If elections are to be held, the monitors/observers must be invited from all corners of the world to ensure transparency.

Gideon Shaft Kanyongo, Ohio USA

Mugabe targets industries

EDITOR – Glasnost and perestroika, the strong and cherished tenets that were being espoused by the Government of National Unity and were slowly beginning to bear fruit, have now come under siege as Mugabe reads the riot act to the West.

If they (West) do not remove sanctions (imposed against Zimbabwe) we will take over their industries, declares Mugabe to the applause of more than 4000 delegates gathered recently for the Zanu (PF) conference.

As an electioneering gambit Zanu (PF) came out of the conference with their guns blazing to take over all white-owned industries. A dark cloud hangs over the industrial sector.

Memories of the horrific 2000 election chill the spine. Zanu (PF) exercised all electoral manipulations in the form of violence perpetrated by farm grabbers on innocent white farmers, abductions of opposition party members, closure of private owned media, undue utilization of state resources, election fraud, gerrymandering and intimidation.

What followed were 10 years of arrested development and hunger. The state collapsed as all the government institutions become dysfunctional. Zimbabwe was ostracized from the international community due to its unpopular policies damned by the world as gross violations of human rights.

Now we are at it again – going back where we are coming from. Another era of turmoil, abject suffering and groans is on the horizon if the de jure ruling Zanu (PF) implements its disastrous policies.

Zimbabwe haichazofi yakaita nyika zvakare, a renowned comic cartoonist once lamented when he loosely referred the statement to Mugabes political mantra, Zimbabwe will never be a colony again.

Moses Pandazi, Johannesburg