News, Vol. 27, No. 4

http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.SFF.DOCUMENT.nuzn199604_a

Use of the Aluka digital library is subject to Aluka’s Terms and Conditions, available at http://www.aluka.org/page/about/termsConditions.jsp. By using Aluka, you agree that you have read and will abide by the Terms and Conditions. Among other things, the Terms and Conditions provide that the content in the Aluka digital library is only for personal, non-commercial use by authorized users of Aluka in connection with research, scholarship, and education.

The content in the Aluka digital library is subject to copyright, with the exception of certain governmental works and very old materials that may be in the public domain under applicable law. Permission must be sought from Aluka and/or the applicable copyright holder in connection with any duplication or distribution of these materials where required by applicable law.

Aluka is a not-for-profit initiative dedicated to creating and preserving a digital archive of materials about and from the developing world. For more information about Aluka, please see http://www.aluka.org Zimbabwe News, Vol. 27, No. 4

Alternative title Zimbabwe News Author/Creator Zimbabwe African National Union Publisher Zimbabwe African National Union (, Zimbabwe) Date 1996-04-00 Resource type Magazines (Periodicals) Language English Subject Coverage (spatial) Zimbabwe, , Southern Africa (region), Malawi Coverage (temporal) 1996 Source Northwestern University Libraries, L968.91005 Z711 v.27 Rights By kind permission of ZANU, the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front. Description Editorial: Beyond the Presidential Elections. Freedom of the Press. Cover Story: Zimbabwe's 16th Independence Anniversary. Special Feature: The new in Asia. Church News: Churches condemn statement by Minister Stamps. Domestic File: Black economic empowerment a must — President. Regional File: The peace process. Business News: Textile sector needs government move. The South African economy in 1996. Talking Point: A post-mortem of Presidential Elections. A policy for sustainable economic growth. Healthline: Out-of-court settlement for deadly error. Women's Forum: Women are their own problem. Viewpoint: Indigenisation of the economy. News Update: Msika on campaign rallies. Peace plan for Korean Peninsula. Muluzi praised in Malawi. Ugandans urged to end rebellion. SADC urged to promote information exchange. Pro-democracy movement growing in Swaziland. Poverty in South Africa too. Book Review: "Democracy: The challenge of change." Format extent 36 page(s) (length/size)

http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.SFF.DOCUMENT.nuzn199604_a

http://www.aluka.org ZANU PF

ZANU PF Unity. Peace and De-elomerOt Zimbabwe News Official Organ of ZANU PF Department of Informatit and Pulicity, 144 UnIon Aoerue, Harare, Tel: 790148 Volume 27, No. 4 1996, Registered at the G.P.O as a Newspaper APRIL 1996 $2.50(inc. sales tax) They our land for free why should we pay now

Zimbabwe News Official Organ of ZANU PF Contents EDITORIAL (I): (1l): COVER STORY: SPECIAL FEATURE: CHURCH NEWS: DOMESTIC FILE: REGIONAL FILE: BUSINESS NEWS: TALKING POINT: HEALTHLINE: WOMEN'S FORUM: VIEWPOINT: NEWS UPDATE: BOOK REVIEW: Beyond the Presidential Elections ...... Freedom of the Press ...... Zimbabwe's 16th Independence Anniversary ...... The new cold war in Asia ...... Churches condemn statement by Minister Stamps ...... Black economic empowerment a must - President ...... The peace process ...... Textile sector needs government move ...... The South African economy in 1996 ...... A post-mortem of Presidential Elections ...... A policy for sustainable economic growth ...... Out-of-court settlement for deadly error ...... Women are their own problem ...... Indigenisation of the economy ...... Msika on campaign rallies ...... Peace plan for Korean Peninsula ...... Muluzi praised in Malawi ...... Ugandans urged to end rebellion...: ...... SADC urged to promote information exchange ...... Pro-democracy movement growing in Swaziland ...... Poverty in South Africa too ...... "Democracy: The challenge of change" ...... I-HM Zimbabwe Newsis the official organ of the ZimbabweAfrican National Union (ZANU PF) and is produced on the authority of the Central Committee by the Department of Information and Publicity, Jongwe Printing and Publishing Co., No. 14Austin Road, Worldngton, Harare. World Copyright. Central Committee (ZANU PF) Editorial Council: Cde. N.M. Shamuyanra, Cde. C.C. Chimutengwende, Cde. C. Ndhlovu, Cde. S. Kachingwe. Cde.A. Sikhosana, Cde. M. Munyati. ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4 C

Beyond the Presidential Elections Now that the Presidential elections of 1996 are over, it is time to take stock of the mistakes made in the past, and how they should be corrected; and look at the road ahead to see how the material conditions of our people can be improved. Our leadership has the political will, the experience, and the dedication to make a correct assessment of the situation, and arrive at the right conclusions. ZANU-PF has been through many crises and difficult situations, but it survived because of wise leadership. And a dedicated cadreship. It is in this context that we so much welcome the return of Comrade R.G. Mugabe, First Secretary and President, to the helm of the Govern. ment. He has what it takes to lead a growing nation like ours - the ability to take wise decisions; a set of principies to guide him; and a capacity to unite the people. The Central Committee, the Parliament, the Politburo, and the Cabinet, should now chart the road ahead of the nation, dearly sign-posted with concrete steps that are being taken in order to forge ahead. Looking back one of the mistakes made was to embrace the concept of the ESAP in the belief that it would attract foreign investment, increase exports, and thereby reduce or remove unemployment. None of that has occurred; instead prices have gone up, inflation has also gone up, and the value of our dollar has gone down. Now, the same economists who were urging for the opening up of the economy in order to achieve growth, are now arguing for a drastic reduction in Government expenditure, and selling off the parastatal bodies to private companies. We should close our ears to these economists. They will simply lead us to financial bankruptcy, and political stalemate. The promises that were made during the election campaign must now be fulfilled, especially on the land, indigenisation of the economy, and building more and bigger dams. The expectations of our people al'e high. Any delay or hesitation would give our people a totally wrong impression of our Government, and its intentions. Those who own farms and companies should enjoy their property, but they should not be allowed to stop or hinder the Government and the Party from fulfilling the promises made to the people. In future the credibility and legitimacy of the Government will depend on its ability to deliver on the promises it has made. In the past, ZANU-PF has never failed to fulfill its promises to the Zimbabwean people. We delivered freedom and independence; we united our people and gave them peace and stability; we sharply increased the social services (education and health) to our people; we opened up to them what was a closed racist society; and, we improved their material conditions substantially. All this was done in the face of thick opposition from the same economists who are now advising us to sell the little silver left in the house. The Party has the popular base, the administrative capacity, and the political will to deliver on the promises of its principled leadership. [l Freedom of the press There has been much uninformed discussion about the freedom of the press. Unfortunately, even eminent legal minds that should shed much-needed light on the subject, have not done so. They have infact contributed to the confusion by repeating slogans that have no meaning. The campigners for press freedom have held up the 'Financial Gazette' as the example of a free, and independent press. Free and independent from what? They mean free from Government control. But freedom from Government control does not mean freedom from other forms of control, especially the paymaster. Every editor and journalist must adhere to the policy of the proprietor of the newspaper he or she is writing for. This point was made abundantly clear by Mr. Elias Rusike, the chief executive of Modus Publications. After dismissing the editor, Mr. Trevor Ncube, he said: "Editors are employees like any other persons. An editor does not own a newspaper but is hired by owners of the newspaper to implement their editorial policy." That statement is the truth of the matter. We have never accepted the view that a journalist working for the press barons is free and independent. There is pressure now to end the monopoly of the ZBC in the field of broadcasting. While some competition may be very good for the ZBC, but it does not follow that those journalists working for other broadcasting organisations will necessarily be free and independent. Freedom can never be absolute. But, we think the largest measure of freedom can be achieved in an institution like the Zimbabwe Mass Media Trust. It is not perfect, and it has had many teething problems. But, the central idea is to have an institution that is not controlled by Government, and not dictated to by any press baron. Those distinguished Zimbabwean citizens who run it have no financial interest in the business, and no shareholders to please or placate, In that context, they should serve the interest of all Zimbabweans. The majority shares they hold in the publishing company, are held in trust for all Zimbabweans. The papers should be influenced by, and reflect all tections of the Zimbabwe public, the Government of the day, the opposition parties, the business groups, sporting associations et cetera, without fear or favour. That is the central objective of the noble idea of the Trust. It is a great pity that campaigners of various organisations have lost sight of this objective, and vilified the Trust unfairly. Some of the campaigners are sworn enemies of the Government, and only want to see a newspaper that attacks and discredits the present Government, even with false statements. Those people have their political objective, but they do not promote democracy in Zimbabwe. The central aim of the Trust is to promote democracy and tolerance among all sections of Zimbabwean society; and to represent all those sections in the structures of the Trust. ] ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4 ibwe's 16th Independence anniversary By Zvenyika Kambizi 2 day we all became one big team in the governance of this country - Vice ident Cde. Muzenda his month on April 18, Zimbabwe- dependence Celebrations Committee. ans from all walks of life celebrate He added: "It is a day that marked a the country's 16th Independence new beginning to a new life for all Zimwersary. babweans, a day that we all became one abwe attained its national indepen- big team in the governance of this coune in 1980 on April 18 after 90 bit- try and in the shaping of our own ears of colonial rule. destiny." e new and all-important chapter in the Antry's history opened following a -year bloody armed struggle against oniaism. was the Second Chimurenga led by e: (PF ZAPU), and Cde. bert Mugabe (ZANU) that finally disIged colonialism in this country. The it Chimurenga waged in 1896 and led Ambuya Nehanda and Sekuru Kagun Mashonaland and King Lobengula he Matebeleland region, failed mainly e to inferior weaponry. ndreds of young men and women rificed their precious lives for the inpendence of Zimbabwe. Many elderpeople and young children also lost r dear lives in "crossfire" is the country's national indepenice day is a very important occasion the people of Zimbabwe and the ithern African region. is a very, very important day that v the Union Jack Flag go down, ilaced by one denoting our history, present and our aspirations," said u President Cde Simot Vengesai zenda who is the chairman of the In- Cde. Muzenda noted that April 18 also reminds all progressive minds of this country of the achievements made by the democratically elected people's government led by Cde. Robert Gabriel Mugabe, vis-a-vis the desires, concerns and aspirations of the electorate. With regards to the needs and concers of the masses, the Government of Zimbabwe has done a great deal in the socio-political area. Uhuru Uhuru means freedom in Swahili. Rusungunuko in Shona. Inkululeko in Ndebele. We all know that. But then, say that word in any language to a nation that experienced nearly a hundred years of colonial rule, a 14 year-armed liberation struggle and the death of over 40 000 of its nationals with hundreds maimed, raped and left homeless, and it will sound like manna from heaven. April 18, 1980, Zimbabwe's independence day is such a day. Cde Muzenda noted that in celebrating the dawn of a new era, all progressive minds cannot help but cast their minds back onto the achievements of their democratically elected government led by Cde. Robert Gabriel Mugabe, taking cognisance of any failures. When in 1980, of the 5 000 students at the , 87.5 percent were whites, no one could believe that by 1996, over 98 percent of the more than 12 000 student enrolment would be black. This is happeningwith ,a background of secondary schools having increased tenfold with clinics and hospitals expanded where they existed and new ones built where they did not. And while there has been a remarkable expansion in the structures and operations of the UZ, another such institute, the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), has been established cheifly to take care of the country's critical shortage of technical expertise. Moreso, a degree-offering Science teacher training institute soon to be launched in Bindura will be gradually turned into a fully-fledged university. The college will take over the ZimbabweCulba Teacher Training Programme that previously required locals to go to the Caribbean island for five-year periods. Besides, the present government has encouraged any interested parties to set up their own instutions of higher learning. Already, the Seventh Day Adventists are transforming Solusi College in Bulawayo into a university; the United Methodist Church has set up Africa University in Mutare; and plans are affoot towards the establishment of a Catholic Church-run University in the City of Gweru. To redress the imbalances brought about by the oppresive and discriminatory colonial education system, the government has invested heavily in this sector to enable every child to at least, get to form four and this continue to be the policy to this day. In the health sector, the country has now established and improved provincial hospitals and most of Zimbabwe's 58 administrative districts now have their own hospitals. As a result, Zimbabwe now ranks amongst a few of the developing nations with the lowest infant mortality rate due to the vastly improved health delivery system and the government immunisation drive through the Ministry of Health ard Child Welfare. Training programmes for commuritybased health workers have been going on since 1980 and this has also helped in further improving the health delivery system as many have now been trained in various areas to advise on aspects eContinued on next page WE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4

Zimbabwe's 16th Independence anniversay *Continued from previous page ranging from nutrional to such diseases as tuberclosis. Land issue Also, tremendous efforts have been made towards resettling the many thousands of landless blacks inspite of the constraints imposed on the government by the Lancaster House Constitution of1979, during the first ten years of majority rule. Well over 60 000 families have so far been resettled and according to Vice President Muzenda, the government will vigorously pursue the resettlement programme during this new term of governance which began on Saturday, March 30, 1996. While conceding that the government had no money to buy land for resettlement purposes, Cde. Muzenda nonetheless, stated that farms were still going to be identified and acquired through the Land Acquisition Act. "There is no going back on the land issue, and we are not going to compromise on this even in the face of mounting pressure from some western countries which have threatened to withhold their aid to Zimbabwe if we took farms from the whites," said Cde. Muzenda. He mentioned France and Britain as some of the western nations putting pressure on Zimbabwe. "If whites ,grabbed our land through some notorious pieces of legislation, I don't see why we cannot pass our own laws thate will effectively redress the situation." The Sir Godfrey Huggins (later to be known as Lord Malvin) Government first passed the Land Act (1930) mainly to destock blacks who had large herds of livestock before forcing them to arid areas (tribal trust lands) through the Land Apportionment Act (1933) which demarcated the country into five agricultural regions. Blacks were squeezed in regions four and five while the few whites apportioned to themselves the fertile one and two. regions and a part of region three. Asked Cde. Muzenda: "If whites passed the Land Apportionment Act to disadvantage blacks and enrich- themselves, why can't we pass our own Land Ap- . portionment Act to redress the situation?" He said the question of funds should not take prominence on the land issue. "The question here should be what method to apply because the land is there and it is that land that we have to allocate to the several thousands of landless blacks." The Vice President said the present situation where on average, one white occupied 16 hectares to one-and-a-half occupied by a black person when the latter account for over 99 percent of the population cannot be allowed to continue. Ideology Cde. Muzenda denied and dismissed charges by some self-proclaimed political analysts that the ZANU PF Government does not endorse multi-party politics and that it once tried communism but failed, as cheap politicking by some arm-chair politicians pre-occupied by such illusions as when ZANU PF will fall from power. "We considered the idea, yes, during the liberation struggle, .but we never tried to enforce it on the people upon independence. Neither were we at any one time communists as some people allege," said Cde. Muzenda adding that the fact that there were more than three political parties, at least, at every general election since 1980 clearly demonstrates that the ZANU PF Government has accommodated multi-party politics even before assuming the governance of this country. He said it was easier then (in 1980) to adopt the one'Party rule system as other countries in the region such as Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi were oneParty states. And on communism: "We never were communists -although we sided with them since they too were firmly opposed to colonialism." Unity He praised Cde. , Prqsident and First Secretary of ZANU PF for making unity between former PF ZAPU and ZANU a reality. "We are absolutely very lucky in that the two parties came to an agreement - something quite rare in Africa but we managed that and that development has brought the country peace and tranquility making Zimbabwe the continent's shining example," said the Vice President. The unity accord between the former two parties was signed on 22 Decem ber 1987, and it gave birth to the new ZANU PF. Black economic empowerment Vice President Muzenda nonetheless pointed out that while the ZANU PF government has now fully consolidated and empowered the masses politically, black economic empowermet programmes now needed to be pursued with the same vigour, determination and will as was the the case with political empowerment The -starting point, observed Cde. Muzenda, would be re-examining and revisting the application of the policy of reconciliation. Reconciliation He said the national reconciliation policy, proclaimed upon the attainment-of independence in 1980, has only helped to some extent - where the policy sought to heal wounds between the nationalists and those who worked and sympathised with the fascist regime of rebel Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Douglas Smith. "As for whites," noted Cde. Muzenda, "they only accepted it in as far as it protected them but at the same time, saw it as a weakness on our part and started exploiting the situation to their advantage." For instance, said the Vice-President, upon independence, whites appointed some blacks into executive positions as a way of safe guarding their business interests, but as soon as they realised that national reconciliation had taken care of that, whites started dismissing these blacks one after the other. Thus, stated the Vice- President, it was necessary at this point in time to revisit the policy of national reconciliation so that its application does not hinder our programmes of development. , Celebrations Celebrations this year to mark Zimbabwe's birthday come just over a fortnight after the swearing in of Cde. Robert Gabriel Mugabe as Zimbabwe's Executive President following his resounding victory in the Presidential Election. Independence day celebrations are spread all over the country with lots of festivities. 0 ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4

,he end of World War il saw the beginning of ideological tensions between capitalism and communism. i ideological camp claimed authoriver chunks of several states which e once regarded internationally as ary states.I mnny was divided into west and Korea was partitioned into north south, and so was Vietnam. In ChiTaiwan separated itself from the nland and claimed that its populai of 1.75 percent was the represenre of the 98.25 majority! The United es backed this absurd claim for eral decades until its attempts to rthrow the government of comnist China were exhausted. Though partitioned. Laos and Campuchea lerwent fratricidal civil wars the coniation of which is still being felt in the er. ,mning from March 10 this year, teni between the United. States and Chitook on a tautness which aroused I heightened the risk for a nuclear r confrontation. President Lee Tenii of Taiwan, reflecting on the heightd tension, said: "Let me tell you all. ! government (of Taiwan) has arleady de complete preparations." New world war Although communist ideology was soundly trounced by capitalism in Eastern Europe, its survival in Asia has attracted increased attention from the Americans whose mission is to eradicate it from every region of the earth. As the situation stands at present, nothing short of a new World War can stop the further growth of communism in Asia. In a world dominated by capitalist ideology, communist ,ideas need secure refuge in isolation. T he introspective centrism. Inherent in the culture of the Orient provides a promising refuge for the blossoming of communist ideas in China. Since everyone out of four people in the world is a Chinese, the influence of the Asian giant is destined to recruit adherents from all regions of the world. The rippling effect of Chinese ideas is the cause of fear in capitalist America. If the Americans have so far failed to extinguish the flickering light of communist ideas in Cuba - only 120 kilometres away from their shore - their greatest fear of communism must surely centre on the future of China. Hence their largest display of military muscle in the South China Sea since the end of the Vietnam War. During the second week of last month, the United States deployed two large naval carriers: the nuclear-powered USS Nimitz capable of carrying 100 bombers and the USS Independence with a capacity to carry 85 bombers. On its part, communist China was already conducting a week-long military exercise- involving unarmed missiles along the Straits of Taiwan in the China Sea. Thanks to the restraining effects of international diplomacy, the scenario surrounding these war preparations would have triggered World War III. Modem warfare is not a simple operation where the weak is speedily overrun by the stronger. The Gulf War should have been a case of American forces and their allies overrunning Iraq in a matter of days. Instead, little Iraq managed to save itself by withstanding the onslaught of superior armies. Another example is that of little Chechnya which has withstood the onslaught of the Russian army to a point of indefinite conclusion. American military planners very well know the unpredictability of a war between China and the United States. Their past experiences in Vietnam may drive Pentagon hawks to take the option of a pre-emptive nuclear strike as they did in Nagasaki and Hiroshima 50 years ago. They only need to find an internationally . acceptable pretext to start World War Ill over their goal of eradicating communist ideas in the triangle formed by Beijing, Pyongyang and Ho Chi Min City. On February 10, 1996, North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said: "If the US and its supporters attempt to undermine our socialist system, thinking that pressure will work on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, tension on the Korean Peninsula will grow more .serious and only the trouble-makers will be harmed." The spokesman went on to reveal that the'United States had 1 000 nuclear weapons deployed in South Korea and pointing to North Korea. Global policeman As the world becomes a miniaturised global village through modern communications technology, the United States has appointed itself sheriff in the global village. Its global patrols have taken it into stormy waters in Cuba, Panama, Haiti, Nicaragua, Grenada, Libya, Somalia, Israel, Iraq, Iran, Bosnia, Mozambique, and many other troubled spots too numerous to mention. The self-appointed task of the United States is to make every country a pasture for its capitalists under the cover of "making the world safe for democracy". In the process, no risk is spared, including threats of a nuclear war. The question then arises on whether promoting world capitalism is such a stealthy undertaking that the United States, as the promoter, needs the services of hundreds of thousands of inter-national espionage agents in addition to an everpresent nuclear war overhang in the minds of all those who may opt for resistance? The camp of resisters in all parts of the world find justification for their uphill struggles in that the United States - using all that is in its Arsenal - can still feel threatened by the retreating waves of communist ideology. This reality gives encouragement to the resisters against capitalist ideology that its current worldwide victories are mere surface appearances of a paper tiger whose demise is the working class agenda for the 21 st century. The global policemanship of the United States over all the peoples of the world is bound to have its Napoleonic Waterloo in the breaking out of its weakest link. Its weakest link is in its dependence upon each country's national bourgeoisie which is, in turn parasitic on the labour of the working class, and is earning the still unchannelled wrath of these grassroot masses whom they exploit. The grassroot labouring classes are increasingly and irrevocably becoming conscious to destroy their enemies the capitalists and their hangers-on are the sworn enemies of grassroot working masses. The working classes, led by their representatives, are becoming more and more conscious each year about how their national bourgeoisie has contracted a marriage of convenience with global capitalism championed by US eContinued on next page ABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4 he Heads o Denominations representing forty Christian Churches in Zimbabwe are offended by the statement of the Minister of Health and Child Welfare quoted in The Sunday Mail of 4 February 1996 in which he questions the motivation of those who oppose the Ministry's policy of countering the AIDS crisis by swamping the country with condoms and by promoting the use of the condom as a certain barrier to disease. Those Churches who oppose the Minister's present policy are motivated oContinued from previous page neo-colonialists. The traditional opulence of all Western imperialists is now being conspicuously emulated by the national bourgeoisie of every country under US guardianship. This unholy assimilation of the national bourgeoisie to US global strategies for the promotion of capitalism or, as they have nicknamed it, market economies is now open for the grassroot masses to see despite the thick layer of propaganda being spread over to cover it. Mission impossible The US self-appointed task of a global capitalist policeman is a mission impossible. Different races have differing cultures.and political outlooks. Universally, they may share a common experience of leading poverty-stricken lives under their national governments which are attempting to inculcate on their minds an American mentality outside the territorial boundaries of the United States. Nationalism in each targeted nation-state will eventually solidify into a formidable barrier against US ideological influences. Patriotic resistance by national forces in each country will eventually gain inter- by a concern tor tne genuine weirare or the people of Zimbabwe and are disturbed by the government's apparent failure to comprehend the true causes of the present epidemic and the basis for its long-term solution. Heads of Christian Churches oppose the Minister's "safe sex" condom campaign on three grounds. In the first place, there is ample scientific evidence to show that condoms are not the infallible barrier to infection which the Minister's publicity campaign proposes. By telling the public, including children, that they may safely in- national support as the case of Cuba whose resistance leader, Dr. Ruz, was recently given a standing ovation by Heads of State at the United Nations General Assembly. That ovation was a slap in the face against President Clinton who had wished to receive that ovation on behalf of US global policemanship. The assembly of Heads ot State at that UN meeting and the standing ovation for Dr. Fidel Castro Ruz showed clearly how summit representatives of all the peoples of the world support American. policies at diplomatic levels but think otherwise at the august world forum. This duality of political expression underlines how thin and worn-out are the cords that tie the world's Heads of State to the leadership of America. This reality should be developed from being a struggle waged by thinning ranks of communist revolutionaries to the higher level of populist international solidarity against U% globalisation of the capitalist mode of production. This should be done by popularising, and agitating for, the peaceful reunification of the partitioned states of Asia and elsewhere. e dulge in sexual activity with coi protection, he is perpetrating a si deception on the public. In the second place, the Churces tion the manner in which the Mi of Health appears to have surren to policies formulated by wt governments and agencies in the of population control without any prehension of the effects these p( will have on the cultural and mon tudes of the people of Zimbabwe ticularly offensive are the sexual e tion campaigns being launche government and other agencies! schools and colleges of this cQunt posing young people to a cult promiscuity and irresponsible sexu tivity. We believe that we'speak f( majority of parents and teachers we condemn these campaign irresponsible. Thirdly, the Churches wish to state quivocally that the only solution 1 present crisis of AIDS is to stimuli the whole of society an attitude an ture of sexual morality based on nence from sexual activity before riage and faithfulness to one part marriage. There is no other guar of protection from HIV infection Minister's present "safe sex" cam pays lip service only to sexual n ty. The half-hearted endorsemeni Minister Stamps has previously p a code of sexual morality is morE counteracted by his promotic condom-use as a barrier a infection. The Heads of Christian Churches, fore, call on the Government andi ticular the Ministries of Health an( cation to take seriously their res bilities to the people of Zimbabw especially the young people, and vote their resources to the real of the present crisis facing our sc Christian Churches commit them unreservedly to opposing the preE responsible policies of govenl which promote a culture of 'safi in our society. ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 1 r]Fhe ew col wari Asa . 1

Black economic empowerment a must - President *Zimbabweans should not remain mere owners of votes oting that indigenisation must be vigorously pursued as an effective method of empowering and; enriching the people, the President and First Secretary of ZANU PF, Cde. Robert Gabriel Mugabe has said that a situation must never be allowed where the people of Zimbabwe remain nothing more than owners of votes, whilst the ownership of most economic resources remains reposed in the hands of outsiders. Addressing the 25th session of the Central Committee at the Party headquarters in Harare on Friday, March 22, Cde. Mugabe said that such empowerment must comprise forms of assistance in both financial and educational (training) terms. "Otherwise economic development becomes a neo-colonialist process whose effects will detract from our greatly cherished sovereignty," said Cde. Mugabe. The following is a full text of the President's speech: Comrades Vice Presidents and Second Secretaries of ZANU PF, Comrade Members of the Central Committee. Hearty greetogs and warm welcome! Only four days ago, on Monday 18th March, our hearts pulsated with joy as we received the good news of our overwhelming victory in the Presidential Elections that took place on the 16th and 17th of March. We all had run a gruelling election campaign, crisscrossing the country, covering all the provinces and addressing numerous meetings in them all. It was indeed one of the best organised campaigns we have had, and accordingly very exacting and demanding one to the Party and its leadership. The meetings were wellorganised and also well-attended. The result was no doubt foretold long before the voting, not by prophets and soothsayers, but by the spirit of the people themselves as they, in jubilant songs and dances, massively attended our meetings. I want to express to you my heartfelt gratitude for the wonderful role you played in this just ended, vigorous campaign. Ndinotenda zvikuru! Ngiyabonga kakhulu! It was indeed a great victory, for me yes, but for all of you also as my colleagues in the Central Committee and the Politburo, and for our Party and People! Long live ZANU PF! Long live our unity! Long live our revolution! Comrades, going through an election process entailing a vast and vigorous campaign of the nature we have just run was a tremendous experience to both the candidate(s) and all who were engaged in it. I would like to believe, therefore, that all of us here went through quite arefreshing experience. Indeed, we saw a lot, heard a lot, and felt a lot. We were not just speakers and informants during the campaign. The bipolar nature involved in our relating to and reasoning with the people demanded that we also become listeners and learners at the same time. Sure, we delivered our policy messages on land, education, health, roads, dams and water agriculture, industry, the economy in general, unemployment, indigenisation and ownership of our resources, and other topics. Yes, we talked about the Party, the need for unity and the common destiny of our people. But we also had to listen to the problems and harships being encountered by the people, most of them relat Ing to the very topics on which we had based our policy messages. We thus were able to appreciate how our policies had succeeded or failed to meet the people's demands in the several areas of their interest and concerns; land, health, education, water, roads, jobs, housing, projects, transport, et cetera. Perhaps you gathered the same impression as I did, namely, that we have behind us the vigorous support of a vast population, which, whilst it continues to express its loyalty to the Party and its leadership, is nevertheless confronted by a host of socio-economic problems. I believe now is the time to analyse the people's grievances as they expressed them in both their urban and rural setting, and work out urgent and effective ways of addressing them. Now is also the time to analyse the inadequacies of our past policies and try to establish how these shortcomings could be overcome through more thrustful and effective approaches. we have made verbal promises in respect of many areas of our people's concerns. If the promises are tangible at all, then let us see that they come true, and they can only do so by our turning theory into practice. Failure to do so will undoubtedly erode the people's confidence in us, that is, in both the Party and its leadership. This is why I am suggesting, as I have done before, the serious undertaking of well planned programmes and projects based on our enunciated policies and promises. All told, our people desire and demand to move forward and not backwards. They also do not envisage remaining static in regard'to the development of their human condition. They want progress now, and more and more progress in the future. But how do we deliver this progress to them without first marshalling resources? Resources will have to be found both domestically and externally for a faster pace of progress to be achieved. in the domestic field we have a whole area of ample resources we can tap for the people's benefit. For sixteen years now we have wanted to be courteous and polite on the issue of land, the greatest and richest of all our resources. The result has been our inability to achieve a greater pace of resettlement. If in a free, independent and sovereign Zimbabwe, the majority of the people and their government do not and cannot own their land, what sovereignty do they then pride themselves on? Land and massive land will have to be transferred immediately to the people! If, in a free, independent and sovereign Zimbabwe, the financial institutions the commercial and other banks, building societies and pension funds - are not facilitators of our development programmes, which, after all, are aimed at attaining certain national objectives, *Continued on next page ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4

Black economic empowerment a musti *Continued from previous page then I wonder what their basic role in our society is. I believe, if meaningful discussions are entered upon with these institutions, several of our programmes, including the financing of new and existing small and medium scale businesses, urban and rural housing, construction of dams and road infrastructure, building of schools, et cetera, could oc,cur with given rate of rapidity. There is currently the admission by government .that our Exchequer (the treasury) is not receiving all the revenue that should flow into State coffers. Why this demonstration of inefficiency should have lasted for so long is indeed a sign of weakness on the part of our revenue collecting machinery. The situation is aggravated by the ingrained fraudulent practices some of our industries have inherited from a corrupt UDI culture. Once a thief, always a thief. You do not expect that those who were taught to run their industries through deceit, chicanery and fraud, in order to withstand and survive the onslaught of sanctions against UDI, can, all of a sudden, even after 15 years, turn into straight, honest and truthful persons. Their inherited crookish behaviour continues inevitably to translate itself into the present fraudulent behaviour characterising some companies, resulting, therefore, in the state being defrauded. The continued existence of this dishonest UDI mafia should be uncovered, and where fraudulent acts, engaged in in order to escape taxation or illegally transferring our resources abroad, are detected, then punishment must be made harsh and examplary. It should be bome in mind that the more resources there are available to the State the greater its capacity to deliver on its policies. Tapping external resources, either through policies attracting investment capital or through bilateral credit arrangements, is a function of government aimed at securing more inputs meant to work in complementarity with and enhancement of our own domestic resources. Indeed, our economic reform programme was established on the reckoning that our domestic financial investment inputs would always outweigh external ones by about three to one. This is still our policy. More investment capital has, therefore, to be our own, It must be found' in Zimbabwe. President in the process of transforming our economy through investment, it is important that we always bear in mind the fundamental principle of empowering the indigenous section of our population. Such empowerment must comprise forms of assistance in both financial and educational (training) terms. It is a point I made to the British Exchequer that in the process of privatisation the local people (indigenous) should be included instead of the vulture waiting to devour the process. Otherwise economic development becomes a neo-colonialist process whose effects will detract from our greatly cherished sovereignty. A situation must never be allowed where the people of Zimbabwe remain nothing more than owners of votes, whilst the ownership of most economic resources remain reposed in the hands of outsiders. Indigenisation must, therefore, be vigorously pursued as an effective method of empowering and enriching our people. Let me now rrfer to the state of the Party. It was my happy experience to witness, as I went round the country campaigning, the large surging crowds of men, women and youth, all jubilant and cheering, and obviously demonstrating their commitment to ZANU PF. It was clear, in many areas, that the Party was now getting better organised than before. It was equally clear, however, that there were several cases in several areas where there were disappointing turn-outs to our meetings, sometimes cleverly camouflaged by crowds of little kids. Whilst little kids should surely come out to cheer and greet their President, I am completely opposed to their being commandeered out of their classes to attend our poitical meetings. Let their role merely be one of greeting or, in some other acceptable ways, saluting the President. Any way, our campaign mission objective was to address the voters, to reach the voters, - mature adults - we wanted to impress with our election messages. I hope the National Commissar will look into this question. My own assessment of the situato!!, between rural and urban meetingsl that the attendance, with a few ex--, tions, was much much better in the ruradl' areas than in urban ones. One natural.r ly must accept the inhibitive factors sur rounding urban meetings, one of which was that these meetings were held, in many instances, on work days and at too awkward times for the workers but there were other reasons for poor attendances. Nevertheless, the fact remains that there is a greater need for intensive organisational work to be done in towns than in the country. in this regard, our restructuring exercise becomes very inportant indeed, although it alone will not yield larger attendances at meetings. The efficient management of the Party at the provincial level is key to the success of the Party in each and every Province. If a Province cannot show good results in terms of the strength of its membership, acceptable levels of joining fees and subscriptions, good attendances at meetings called at all levels (the cell, branch, district and province), then there is something radically lacking on the part of the provincial leadership. I think we need to conduct a comprehensive review of our election campaign, for it is only through such a post mortem that we can establish areas of organisational weakness as opposed to areas of strength in the Party. I am sure the National Commissar's Report on the Election Campaign will provide us with cause for thought and provoke our Provincial Councils into greater vigour and purposeful action. Once again, thank you for your support' May our unity continue to inspire our people and nation, and instil fear and trepidation into misguided political midgets and unashamed neo-colonialist stooges who in characteristic fashion take pride in singing and daning to their masters' tunes. May Zimbabwe for ever remain free, sovereign and independent. May ZANU PF continue to be the nation's hope for an assured prosperous future! I thank you! 0 (Telephone 79014819 H ALWAYS THERE'TO SERVE AND SAVE 'OU NOW: ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4 tIMBABWE welcomes the latest news from Angola that an agreement has finally been reached btween the MPLA government of An,la and the UNITA leadership to end th civil war and form a government of national unity and reconciliation. For the benefit of our readers, we are publishing a summary of the events that are the immediate background to the current peace agreement. Reconciliation and power-sharing in September, President Dos Santos and UNrTA leader Jonas Savimbi met in Brussels at the Roundtable Conference with Angola's donors. Meanwhile, press reports said that the government had earmarked US$9 million to build houses for Unita representatives to government and Parliament. In successive statements, Savirnbi reaffirmed that he was ready to accept a Vice-Presidency, that his personal relationship with President dos Santos was good, that the government of national reconciliation would be set up in January, and that he would then move to Luanda. In mid-October, one of the bodyguards of General Ben-Ben - Unita's Chief of Staff - was wounded by gunfire in Luanda. Unita argued that it was an assassination attempt (rejecting the results of the inquiry by the Angolan police into the matter) and recalled Ben-Ben to Bailundo, so talks on outstanding military issues with the government were suspended. US President, William Clinton's Special Envoy to Angola, Paul Hare, travelled to Bailundo to discuss the Ben-Ben incident and other issues with the Unita leadership and, returning to Washington, expressed his satisfaction at progress made in the peace process. Speaking to the press in Zambia in midOctober, Savimbi apologised for having rejected the 1992 election results and re-igniting war. In another interview, he admitted for the first time that a nonaggression pact existed between Unita and the Portuguese government since 1972, but continued to deny the authen- ticity of letters exchanged with Portuguese military commandos at the time. Addressing the UN General Assembly in late October, President Dos Santos scheduled the opening of a government of national reconciliation for March 1996, 'but press reports insisted that Savimbi would not return to Luanda until that month. On 1 November, Unita's Political Commission concluded that General Ben-Ben had been the target of an assassination attempt, and called on UNAVEM to review security arrangements for its elements in Luanda as a condition to reopen military talks. UNITA leader Cde. Jonas Savimbi In late November, Savimbi declared that, in January 1996, he would take up his post as Vice-President. Later, he said that Eugenio Manuvakolo, Unita's outgoing Secretary-General, would fill a post in the forthcoming National Reconciliation Government. Abel Chivukuvuku, head of Unita's military and political delegation to the peace talks, was appointed as Savimbi's special Representative to the President of the Republic. Since mid-November, Savimbi and President Dos Santos resumed their periodical telephoe conversations, while Angola's Ambassador to Lisbon announced that both leaders would meet on Angolan territory before 1996. Leaving for the US in early December, (when Unita had announced the suspension of its participation in the peace process, on the grounds of a government offensive in northern Angola) President Dos Santos invited Savimbi to meet inside Angola. Unita's Secretary for African Affairs said that the invitation was "uninteresting", and Unita's representatives to the US, Jardo Muekalia, expressed reservations, as "conditions have not yet been created." But Unita's Political Commission agreed with the proposal, even if criticising the government's offensive and demanding the creation of favourable conditions to hold the meeting. According to US News and World Report' magazine, the US Vice-President, Al Gore, said thatWashington intended to promote reconciliation between the Angolan government and Unita, and that he had discussed the matter with President Mandela in South Africa. Ceasefire violation: In early September, the Head of Staff of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), Joao de Matos, acknowledged violations, non-compliance and delays in the implementation of the Lusaka Accords. FAA sources said that there were 40 Zairian soldiers, commanded by President Mobutu's son, in the Negage area, and that Unita had attacked a civilian vehicle near Lucapa (Lunda-Norte) killing 24 people and wounding 19 others. Unita blamed this incident on uncontrolled bandits, while Beye blamed militias serving diamond companies, and the British Ambassador agreed that no evidence pointed to Unita. As the government prepared a cleanup operation against the illegal diamond miners in that same area, Unita's spokespersons expressed concern at the government's plans. The problem was discussed at a 12 September meeting between Higinio Carneiro, Isaias Samakuva (Government and Unita representatives to the joint Commission) with Unita's leadership in Bailundo. In September, the Joint Commission confirmed 25 ceasefire violations, mainly in Huila, Zaire, Uige and both Lunda *Continued on next page ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4

The r G Continued from previous page provinces. But, on 20 October, the] Commission concluded that these tions decreased to only 12 in the p ous fortnight. General Joao de M described the military situation as ing calm, although in late October FAA again accused Unita.of several lations, including the kidnapping o people, among them six South Ai workers of a mining company in Lt Norte. Unita argued that the capt South Africans were mercenaries in forms (among the more than 3 000 claimed the FAA had in its ranks), n prisoners after Unita's counter-offer against a position that the FAA hai cupied on 15 October. The governr denied the existence of mercenarie thin the FAA, and contended that it Unita that had mercenaries in its ra Unita's spokespersons continued to cize the South African Executive comes company, saying that a grot their "mercenaries" planned to as sinate Savimbi. By late November, Unita was accu the government of launching an o sive and of occupying new areas in and Zaire, particularly in the oil Soyo region, and threatening repri At the end of the year, a source the FAA General Staff said that di 1995 Unita caused 500 civilian and military deaths, while taking prisoners, 27 of them military. Military matters: In mid-Septen Savimbi told a European Union de tion that the main controversial is in the~peace process would be in out by Christmas. Later, he assured peace wds final and that the ceas was being honoured throughout country, although in early Octobe commented that General Joao de M "irresponsible" war-mongering s ments would be to blame if wa sumed. Unita's General Ben-Ben that talks between the two armies making progress, and that logis problems would be overcome. problem was the government's wis create a 4th division of the armed fo that Unita opposed. By the late October, despite a decr in ceasefire violations, Unita kept tary negotiations at a standstill, p ing a final assessment of the Ben-Be cident. As Unita conditioned the reo ing of negotiations to a review by VEM of the system of protection of eace proceess h ta officials in Luanda, Beye criticised Un- ment for its offensive in Zaire prov* e' ita for ill-treating a group of Portuguese - that Higinio Carneiro justified as a joint "Blue Helmets" and members of foreign retaliation for Unita's provocations ac- NGOs. MPLA Secretary-General, Lopo do and demanded an immediate stop to revi- Nascimento, observed that the peace FAA movements. Unita's Isaas Samaku, atos process had not yet reached a point of va argued that the peace process had be- no return, while Brigadier Urbano Tchas- to be "re-launched in a really serious ,the sanha - Unita's deputy head to the manner." The government offered to un. vio- Joint Commission - said that the cease- conditionally free prisoners, to quarter if 32 fire was non-existent. the Rapid Deployment Police and to ican In early November, George Moose, Us evacuate the FAA from Tchikala Tdlounda Under-Secretary of State for Africa, hanga (Vila Nova), but Unita halted can. ured travelled to Angola to severely Aa, toment, as a reprisal for the capture uni- both p o s vly wrn of three towns by the FAA in the Soy0 ni bohparties to stop violating the Pro- rein Menhl, nt' OLkrl they tocol, or US investments would stop. Af- region. Meanwhile, Unita's Lukamba ade ter a meeting of the' government's Gato argued that the government's i-. nsive representative to the joint Commission regular practices (occupying positions, d oc- with Unita's leadership in Bailundo Uni- assassinations) had prompted Unita to, nent ta's Lukamba Gato announced that con- suspend its participation in the peace s wi- tacts with the government would re- process, and conditioned its retmrn to was sume in Luanda, with General Ben-Ben the withdrawal of all govenment forces inks. integrating Unita's delegation. On 13 from the Soyo region and a "reassess crti- November, a Unita military and politi- ment" of the whole peace process. Af. Out- cal delegation returned from Bailundo ter accusing Unita's Rado Vorgan of up of to reopen negotiations, as a joint pursuing a hostile campaign against the ssas- government-Unita declaration affirmed FAA, President Dos Santos sent a perthat the latest differences had been sonal message to Savimbi. ising ironed out. Ben-Ben expressed his will On 7 December, the US State Depart. iffen- to relaunch the peace process, and the ment met the Angolan Ambossador in Uige government's Higinop Carneiro com- Washington to recommend that gover-rich mented that an acceleration of canton- ment immediately withdraw its troops sals. ment was imperative. When he talks on from recently-occupied towns around from political issues resumed, Unita proposed Soyo, to call on Unita to speed up canuring that security matters be given priority. tonment, and to accuse both parties of 233 On 17 November, an agreement was human rights violations. On 8 Decem900 reached to begin cantonment by 20 ber, after meeting President Clinton in November. * Washington, President Dos Santos annber, On 16 November, as the first 150 Unita nounced several decisions to faclitate lega- soldiers were cantoned, Blondin Beye the peace lrocess - the release of Unisues warned that countries friendly to Ango. ta prisoners, the return of the FAA to oned la began to doubt the sincerity of its their barracks, the cantonment of the that leaders' commitment to peace.. Four Rapid Deployment Police and the canefire days later - on the fitst anniversary of cellation of the contract with the Executhe the Lusaka Accords - the government tive Outcomes company. He proposed -rh ta the Soyoa regan remain under UNer he declared that the accords were irrever- y r atos sible, and Blondin Beye congratulated AVEM's responsibility, but Unita's tate- both parties for discarding the military representative td the US, Jardo Muekar re- option. General Ben-Ben continued to lia rejected this, as it could set "a dansaid underline the principle of parity when gerous precedent." After Muekalia exwere reforming the new army but the govern- pressed concern at "'the napoleonic tical ment's negotiator, Higinio Carnerio, 're- appetites of the government's military One jected the principle. Regardless of this leaders," both the Political Bureau of sh to and other differences on 1 December, MPLA and high-placed FAA sources deirces, Blondin Beye expressed optimism after nied rumeours of a split between the milla meeting with Savimbi at Andulo, that tary and the government, reiterating the Beye considered the most "fruitful and former's subordination to civilian power. 'ease useful" contact ever with Unita's leader In early December, the Executive Outmil- and anticipated visible results in the comes company confirmed the cance end- next few days. lation of its contract with the goveren inpen- On 4 December, at the closing of an ex- ment, and its. personnel began to leave UNA- traordinary meeting of the Joint Commis- Angola. A government press release anUni- sion, Beye strongly criticised the govenq- * Continued on next page ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4 I.I. -1 ".I .:,Ilx-,,,l,, II W"A Regional File

Thep sContinued from previous page nounced that FAA units would be withdrawn from Sumba, Quicandi, Quipui II, Manga Grande and Quinzau (Zaire province). Blondin Beye called on Unita to quickly resume cantonment, and on both parties to leave aside confrontation, hostile propaganda and mutual accusations. After a meeting of the Joint Commission concluded that the prisis was over, delegations from the government and Unita reaffirmed their political will to implement the Lusaka Protocol and to continue contacts reinforce mutual trust. Beye and the "Troika" of observers met Unita's leadership in Bailundo, but Lukamba Gato publicly made a pessimistic assessment of the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol during 1995. He denounced a new FAA offensive towards Quibaxe (Uige) - a claim that was termed by government sources as a propaganda manoeuvre to justify Unita's non-complieance with agreements taken at the meeting held on 21 December in Bailundo. On the 29th, a joint Commission of Inquiry travelled to Uige to investigate Unita's accusation about an MPLA offensive. In his New Year address, President Dos S tos said that dialogue within the joint. Commission has contributed to clarify positions and to solve diver. gences. An FAA source confirmed that its troops would return to their barracks starting in January, in a goodwill gesture to accelerate the peace process. On 29 December, the government formally complained to the UN Security Council about Unita's and Zaire's violations of the Lusaka Protocol and of Angola's airspace. Cantonment: In early September, Jorge Valentim, head of Unita's Office for Monitoring the Lusaka Protocol, was blaming the Un and the international community for delays in the quartering of Unita's troops. The government's representative to the Joint Commission, Higinlo Cameiro, blamed both Unita and UNAVEM for delays in preparing the Londuimbali and Vila Nova quartering areas after a Joint Commission delegation toured cantonment facilities in Huambo. In mid-September, Beye discussed with Savimbi the construction of cantonment facilities for Unita's troops, while Unita's Ben-Ben and Isais Samakuba cautioned that lack of conditions could force troops to abandon cantonment areas would have weapons with 'cace prco'cess them. He later told the press that UNA- Angola - declared that there were threi VEM III was improving conditions in the million mines planted in Huila, Cunen cantonment areas, -but Beye cautioned and Kuando Kubango provinces, ant that the process would take longer than predicted a difficult and long deminini expected. In Brussels, Savimbi asked the process. D. Wuiros Alves, Bishop of Ku international community to support can- ando Kubango, criticized both thi tonment, or else troops "could pose a government and UNAVEM III for payinj serious threat to peace." little attention to demaining in hi In October, the joint Commission ex- province. In Malanje province, there pressed satisfaction at progress in Uni- were 50 more landrnine victims betweer ta's cantonment at Vila Nova and Lon- September and October. In early Novem duimbale (Huambo), that were now ber, over 150 people died when a bus described as "technically capable" of hit a landmine at Dundo (Lunda Norte) hosting the first Unita soldiers. Paulo As a joint governemt/Unita military en Lukamba Gato said that Unita already gineering team resumed demining or had 510 men cantoned in Vila Nova, but the Menongue-Cuito Cuanavale route, a he recalled that cantonment was part British NGO "The Halo Trust" said it hac of a package including returning the neutralised, since early 1995, over 400 "ninjas" (Rapid Deployment Police) to landmines in Kuito city (Bie), where the their barracks, the expulsion of merce- accident ratio used to be 15 per month naries and the disarmament of civilians. A school for training of deminers unde A high- ranking officer from the FAA in UNAVEM-I1 supervision was opened ir the joint Commission contended that the Cucuaco town. Lusaka Protocol did not indicate such simultaneous actions. Later, the Joint On 1 September, the Government and Commission confirmed delays in prepa- Unita published a joint declaratior rations in cantonment areas at Kibaxi guaranteeing freedom of movement and Negage, and by early November, throughout the country, while restrict there were reports that some Unita sold- ing that of soldiers in uniform. Later, the iers were deserting from their canton- opening of bridges benefited the free ment areas to government cantonment flow of people and goods on thg Luanda areas. Malenje road and between Lobito and Huambo. But sources close to NGOs Unita continued to oppose the presence German Land Action, Save the Childrer of Angolan NGOs or Angolans working USA, and the Italian CIESTAS, denouncec for foreign NGOs in cantonment areas, a kidnap attempt against their workers Several foreign NGOs suspended their by Unita forces in Kibaxi (Bengo). In De support to Unita's cantonment in Piri- cember, for security reasons, NGOs operQuibaxe (Kwanza Norte) for some time, ating in norther Angola decided tc after their workers suffered "physical ag- reduce their movements by road gression" from Unita soldiers. together with other activities in Unita In late November, as the government held territories. Lubango's former Arch opened four units of its Rapid Deploy- bishop, Franklim d4 Costa, lamentec ment Police in Luanda to UN inspection, that, a year after the Lusaka Protocol Unita began the cantonment of its he could not freely access certain areas troops in Vila Nova (Huambo), at a of Huila province. planned rate of 150 per day. But eight days later, only 370 soldiers had been In December, the government succes cantoned at Vila Nova, and General Ben- sively freed four Unita soldiers in Uige Ben admitted that the average age of 66 in Huambo and another three in Lue Unita's cantoning soldiers was 18. On na (Moxico), while Unita liberated a to 1 December, UNAVEM declared that the tal of 43 prisoners in Menongue, Kuito operation to set up tents in the Negage Huambo and Benguela. and Quibaxe regions - to house 15 000 UNAVEM W:Zimbabwean Major-Genera Unita soldiers -- was concluded. Phillip Sibanda was installed in office a Landmines, freedom of UNAVEM Ill's military commander on 3 movement and the liberation of September, substituting General Chri prisoners: In October, the Minister of so- Caruba. By late November, the numbe cial Assistance and Reintegration of Blue Helmets in Angola reachec reduced the estimated number of mines 6 186. planted in Angola from 10-15 million to In early October, Unita called on the Ub just over two million. Nevertheless, in to speed up cantonment. Blondin Bey December, Celso Malavolunick UNICEF representative in the south of *Continued on next page ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4 e e s s e e lZevional Fiie

The peaice prcess *Continued from previous page praised Unita "for its efforts in trying to put and end to banditry in areas under its control," and particularly for detaining the assassins of ten women and children in Negage lUige), but he asked Unita not to execute them. Political 'circles in Luanda commented that Unita lacked legitimacy to try anyone, and even less to pass a penalty that has been abolished in the country. Lukamba Gato said that the culprits had been tried by Unita's laws (contemplating sentences of up to 20 years imprisonment) because "at this stage, those who commit crimes in Bailundo cannot be transferred to Luanda (to be tried)." Reporting to the Security Council in October, UN-Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali; expressed regret over the slowness of the peace process and integration of the army - he blamed this on both the government and Unita. UN officials criticised the government's hesitation to open a radio station for the UN as agreed, as Foreign Minister Venancio de Moura proposed that it broadcast "on our (existing) radios." At the same time that the Governor of Benguela formally accused UNAVEM Ill forces in Chongoroi of bias, UNAVEM sources accused Unita of having disarmed 12 Zimbabwean "Blue Helmets" in the Negagae region. lsaias Samakuva argued that the 12 were low-ranking officers travelling in an unidentified vehile. lnDecember, UNITA circled a company of 160 Brazilian "Blue Helmets" in Nharea (Bie). Unita sources said that the operation was to protest the rape of the wife of a local chief by a Blue Helmet, UNAVEM s passiveness and a Brazilian soldier's derogatory statements with respect to Savimbi. Unita's claim about the rape was denied. By month's end, both Unita and government officials were criticising UNAVEM's lack of impartiality. In a report dated 7 December, BoutrosBoutrosGhali again criticised the continued military actions in Angola, the slow pace of cantonment, human rights violations and the lack of respect towards the UN and its personnel. Later, the Security Council expressed deep concern at constant ceasefire violations, the renewal of military offensives, the delays in the integration of the FAA and the attacks on UNAVEM Ill. It commended the liberation of prisoners held by the government. Cabinda: On 25 September, the Angolan government and FLEC-Renovada (FLEC-R) signed a 120-day truce. In October, both parties again met in to consider details of the ceasefire agreement, while various FLEC factions met in Brazzaville to decide if they should meet with a government delegation. i-LEC- Cabinda Armed Forces (FLEC-FAC, considered the most radical of FLEC factions) protested against the truce, and reiterated its refusal to sign a ceasefire with the government, until all the independent factions hold a round table to elect a single spokesperson. In November, FLEC-FAC leader, Nzita Tiago, reiterated that he would not sign any ceasefire with the government t4lhout a- plan to negotiate Cabinda's self-determination. Nevertheless from 15-20 November, representatives from the Cabindan provincial government and FLEC-FAC meeting at Punta Negra (Congo) committed themselves to resuming talks in future. But afterwards, FLEC-FAC leaders confirmed that they would not negotiate with the Angolan government until after a round table of all of Cabinda's nationalist factions. Angola's Minister of the Interior blamed Nzita Tiago for the delay in reaching an agreement for Cabinda, and expressed disappointment at FLEC-FAC's turnaround. Since mid-October, the alleged shooting of a Unita soldier ignited skirmishes between Unita and FLEC-FAC in Miconje (northern Cabinda, that forced 1500 people to flee over the border to the Congo. A few weeks later, an agreement on cooperation and bordee safety was signed between the Congolese government and the Cabinda provincial government, while the prefect of the Congolese border region of Kanilou, Francois Tchitchelle, denied rumours about the existence of Unita or Cabindan'secessionist bases in Congo. On 20 October, Unita's Radio Vorgan suggested that a helicopter crash in Cabinda that caused the death of General Jose Pedro, FAA Commander in Cabinda, was due to FLEC-FAC gunfire, but sources from the Cabindan provincial government denied the allegations. In November, Nzita Tiago accused Unita of attacking and occupying FLEC-FAC positions. Unita's representative to Portugal, Isaac Wambembe, contended that "Unita will never wage war against the people of Cabinda." But FLEC-FAC again accused Unita of attackipg its positions on -13 and 17 November. On 1 Decem. ber, 18 civilians were reportedly killed in strong battles between government and FLEC-FAC forces at N'Dinje, Cabinda. On 7 December, Cabindan local authori. ties, meeting with the provincial gover. nor, favoured the enclave's autonomy. THE ECONOMY Economic peformance and policy. In early October, a presidential communique called on government to take drastic measures to reverse the social and economic situation experienced by Angolans. At a meeting with the Permanent Commission of the Council of Ministers, President Dos Santos criticised the government's indiscipline and inca. pacity to halt rising inflation and other social ills. The meeting approved 20 measures (with deadlines), including ira. mediate imports of food and medical supplies; granting of credit to commercial companies and the agricultural and industrial sectors; supervision of ports and airports; new budget control methods and revision of the 1995 State Budget; periodic and timely presentation of accounts to the National Treasury; publication of monetary statistics by banks, and salary increases. On 7 September, President Dos Santos called on commercial and industrial associations and banks to help in overcoming the crisis. In September, the Permanent Commission of the Angolan Council of Ministers approved a new tax, customs and foreign exchange regime for the mining sector. At a meeting of the Commission, President Dos Santos expressed his discontent at the banking sector's devaluation of the Kzr without previously consulting him. In early November, the Council of Ministers decided to assign Kzr 500 billion (65 percent of it in hard currency) to the Minirmum Programme of Public Investment (prioritising health, education and Social rehabilitation); to readjust the 1995 State budget; and to reschedule external debt payments, thanking the Danish government for having cancelled Angola's debt. On the 9th, the Permanent Commission of the Council of Ministers considered that the tar'gets of the emergency actions announced in September had been met. It further decided to allocate US$40 million to provide essential goods to the population, starting in January. Later, the Council of Ministers approved *new * Continued on next page ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4

The peace process iContinued from previous page regulations on taxes and modified the Law on the Social Support Fund in order to open participation to NGOs and private entities. inflation, the cost of living and monetary matters: Official figures indicated that consumer prices went up by over 43.29 percent in Jt1ly and August. In September, the government subsidised milk powder, oil, rice and sugar, reducing to 50 percent the uncontrolled prices at ,which they were being sold. In October, the Permanent Commission of the Council of Ministers approved a series of measures to increase the supply of bread and to stabilise its price. In early September, the newly issued Readjusted Kwanza (Kzr) suffered an 87 percent devaluation in August - the sharpest in 1995 - to accumulate a to tal of 204 percent since its introduction. In the course of September, the Kzr lost about 49 percent of its value - a cumulative figure of 638 percent for the whole year, or a monthly average of 25 percent since January. By 30 September, it was trading at 6 080 at the bank and 9 800 on the informal market. In December, it lost 43 percent of its value, and at year's end the US dollar was informally quoted at 25,000 Kzr. Mining and oil: In November, the Angolan diamond company ENDIAMA signed, with the Brazilian Odebretch company, a contract to mine, on a 50-50 basis, over 120,000 square kilometres in the Cuango River basin (Lunda Norte). On 15 September, the CATOCA diamond project - a joint venture between Angolan, Russian and Brazilian companies - began in Lunda-Sul. In order to stop diamond smuggling, the Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul provincial government made entry permits mandatory for everyone travelling to these provinces. In early November, after meeting Angolan businessmen and officials, South African Ambassador .Roger Ballard Tremer announced' that his country would invest in iron and gold exploration in Cassinga and Chamutete (Iluila). On 13 November, 32 small diamond miners were killed by an avalanche near N'Zaji (Lunda Norte). In October, sources from the Oil Ministry said that production in Soyo would resume in January, after two years' suspension following Unita's occupation of the region. Angola was producing 650 000 barrels per day, and the resumption of production in Soyo would add another 5 000 barrels daily. Visiting Angola in October, the Vice-President of Chevron was received by President Dos Santos and his Prime Minister. Trade, investment, debt and the donor community: After voicing his concern\.. at a. meeting of the Council of Ministers with respect to problems related to the opening of lines of credit, the selection of importers and the quality of imported products affecting the Ministry of Trade, President Dos Santos dismissed the Minister, replacing him with the personal Advisor for Economic Affairs. The new Trade Minister suspended, "until further notice" the issuing of import licences for all individual and collective entities. The President of the Angolan Businessmen's Association (GEA) said that GEA, the Angolan Commercial Association and Luanda's Commercial and industrial Association had imported food for US$7 million, allocated by the Angolan goverment to the city of Luanda. At the same time, Cunene's Provincial Governor affirmed that, due to the government's lack of commercialisation capacities, over 70 000 cattle are illegally transported to Namibia each year. In late November it was reported that a group of Lebanese traders - associated to the Natali's Group firm - were preparing to sue the Angolan govern,ment for US$25 million, presenting at French court, the case of the properties they lost when they were expelled from Angola in 1994 The Law on Foreign investments was published by Jomal de Angola in late October. A delegation of the SBC Wartbug/Swiss Bank, headed by its VicePresident, Michael Spriggs, arrived in Luanda to assess the possibilities of cooperation with Angola in the financial field. By late September, Angola's debt with Portugal totalled US$10 million. Angola was planning to settle its overdue debt with the Export-Import Bank (US$12.5 million), to open the way for the US to fund new projects in Angola. In September, Barnabas Dlamini, Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), visited Angola to monitor progress on the government's Economic and Social Programme, while the Director-General of the World Bank (that was financing eight projects valued at U,;$250 million in Angola) scheduled a visit for the first quarter of 1996. At the Donors' Round Table in Brussels in October, Angola presented its Community Rehabilitation Programme, and donors pledged US$1 billion in assistance, on conditions of peace, reconciliation and transparent governance. But in midDecember, the IMF suspended its negotiations on a monitored financial stabilisation programme with the government, arguing lack of transparency in the relationship between Angolan institutions, and also. lark.LpoIxical consensus. Reconstruction: Angola received donations of five metal bridges from the African Development Bank and 13 from the US government- A Swedish NGO, SWEDRELIEF, signed an agreement to repair the Benguela-Huambo route with financing from the Swedish government, the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNAVEM. The Angolan Vice-Minister of Transport announced that trains on the Benguela Railway would reach Bie by mid-1 996. But the rehabilitation of the entire Benguela Railway would cost US$105 million, plus demining Since late October, Angola's 20th Anniversary celebrations were marked by the opening of bridges, roads, hospitals, schools (including the Faculty of Law), a radio station, water, telecommunications and power systems, a refurbished powdered milk assembly line and a new production line of cigarettes. A new production line of milk was inaugurated at the LACTIANGOL factory in Luanda, the National Steel Works resumed operations, and a private paint factory, with a capacity of 8 000 litres per day, was opened in Cabinda. The construction o(Tecnocarro's abattoir in Kahama (Cunene) also began.. Sweden contributed some US$6 million for reconstruction and development, Portugal offered agricultural equipment valued at US$100 000, the Benelux countries commited their support to Angola's agriculture, and Italy donated agricultural supplies worth US$300 000. The Permanent Commission of the Angolan Council of Ministers approved US$5 million to rehabilitate the electricity supply sector. 3. GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY 3-1. Government, Parliament and the political parties: The National Convergence Party (PCN) was legalised. The coa* Continued on next page ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4

The peace prccess *Continued from previous page lition Angolan Opposition Parties (POA), comprising seven parties) was formed, while the Democratic Political Parties of the Civilian Opposition (PPOCD) complained of their continued marginalisation by government and of delays in the implementation of the peace agreement and ceasefire violations. The PPOCD also criticised recent measures adopted by the Council of Ministers, which, in their view, "would increase social differences." They later protested what they called "the self-legalisation of the Angolan Parliament, that intends to continue to govern, without a mandate from the people, until the year 2000." In early October, Alberto Neto (President of the Angolan Democratic Party held both President Dos Santos and Savimbi responsible for the death of 500 000 Angolans, and proposed that they be tried by an international tribunal. Neto added that the MPLA was negating the 1992 electoral resultsa as well as democratic principles. In December, FNLA leader, Holden Roberto, claimed that the anti-colonial actions of 4 February 1961 in Luanda were not staged by the MPLA, but by the UPA - predecessor to the FNLA, led by Roberto himself. PSDA leader, Milton Kilandomoko, accused the PRD, the PLDA, the PSD and the PLD of being MPLA satellite parties. On 11 November Lucio Lara (formerly number 2 in MPLA hierarchies at the time of Agcdtnho Neto) made some controversial statements in an interview: "The problem is that when the leaders of a country are concerned with businesses, they. no longer have time to govern," he said. He added: "I do not know which are more revolting: either those people (members of government) or those others (from Unita) that through the years have behaved like true criminals of war." 3.2. Ciyil society. In September, leaders of the Christian Churches in Angola (EDICA) met to discuss the topic "It's Time to Build the Nation," recommending the "africanisation" of the Angolan Church and the speeding 'up of the national reconciliation process. In mid-October, a group of Catholic bishops met with the Joint Commission at the formers' request to comrV't their support in speeding up the peace process. In October, the Bishops' Conference of Angola and Sao Tonle announced that Radio Eclesia - a Catholic broadcasting station - would be inaugurated in January 1996. Meanwhile, the Catholic Archdiocese of Huambo published a book (completed in January 1994) that is very critical of the MPLA and the Angolan government, accused of deliberately exterminating the Ovimbundu, of harassing the Church and of assassinating Unita's civilian sympathisers. The Archdiocese revealed that a second volume is equally critical of Unita, but would probably not be published until a few year's time. In December, Reverend Octavio Fernando, Secretary-General of the Association of Evangelists of Angola, affirmed in Huambo that the Church will only play an effective role in national reconciliation "if it returns to its origins, to an integral posture and to neutral actions." Labour: In September, Trade Union representatives in Luanda regretted the government's lack of response to their demands, presented on 21 August, and threatened with a general strike. The Secretary of the Angolan Confederation of Trade Unions (UNTA) said he had presented to the government the worker's main problems - basic commodities, medicines and transport - and expressed his belief that talks with government would avert a general strike. Talks between UNTA and the Luanda Provincial government continued to be inconclusive until the 19th, when the government promised that the food problem would be solved and salaries raised. Later, the Union of Luanda TradeUnionists expressed discontent at government's failure to keep its promise of improving the workers' living conditions. They again threateped to stage a general strike, and accused the Luanda provincial government of not takig account of their demands. Elsewhere in the country, the Bie provincial government was blaming the Nati6nal Treasury for delays in the payment of salaries. The Benguela Provincial Teachers' Union (SINPROF) was formed, associating over 1 000 members. By late November, the Huila branch of the teachers' union, SINPROF, continued to. demand that the Ministry of Education deliver on its promise of increasing salaries by 130 percent. A strike halted diamond production in Nzagi (Lunda Norte) for one month, at a cost US$3 million to business, while another strike by .civil servants in Namibe province (in support of their de- mands of better working conditions) had been going on since mid-month. SOCIAL PROBLEMS Humanitarian matters By September, about 3 000 people had returned home by road from Quitexe (Uige), while another 55 000 had also started returning to their villages in Ber go province. In late September, another 3 000 in Huila province started return. ing to their areas of origin. At the Brussels Roundtable Conference, the goverrment negotiated a fund of US$6 million to repatriate 45 000 people remaining in Jamba - Unita's former headquart. ers. About 130 of them - predominant. ly women and children returning home - died when their plane (fit to carry no more than 70 passengers) crashed. By late November, Unita was expressing discontent at the alleged lack of support from the international community to allow thousands of families, living in Jamha, to return home. 22 000 tonnes of wheat grain and flour were bought from the US, through US government funding given in August, and again in September, the US government granted Angola US$4 million to buy food supplies. Later, USAID announced a US donation of some US$100 million's worth of food aid, medicines, seeds and agricultural tools, dernining assistance, bridges and civic education of quartered troops. The US approved humanitarian assistance worth US$150 million for Angola in the next two years. The European Union began the second phase of iAs food distribution programme initiated in May, scheduled to distribute over 10 000 tonnes of food aid by the end of 1995. Meanwhile, 1 515 tonnes of seed for planting in the 1995 - 1996 season arrived in Angola. Unita's official in charge of Social Affairs, Lizete Pena, accused UN agencies and NGOs of discriminating against civilians in Unita-held areas, claiming that, since the withdrawal of Unita's leadership to Bailundo, humanitarian assistance had practically ceased. WFP's Deputy Director rejected Pena's statements. In December, Moxico's governor denouriced that Unita had interrupted the circulation of columns carrying humanitarian assistance. UN sources informed that, in Kwanza Sul, Unita confiscated radios, vehicle, food and warehouse keys of US NGO Save The Children Fund. By late December, humanitarian operations had been reduced in north*Continued on next page ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4

The P eContinued from previous page em Angola due to military instability prevailing on the roads. Health and Education: In Sepymber, health sources complained that the Psychiatric Hospital had been lacking electricity for four months, and in October the Ministry of Health owed three months' salary to some 60 Russian doctors working in Angolan hospitals. A few days later, the country's largest field hospital was inaugurated in Kuito (Bie) at an estimated cost of US$2 million, and in November, the new buildings of the Military Hospital, costing US$8 million, were opened. Also in November, Unicef statistics showed that more than 100 Angolan children died every day of cholera or diarrhoeic diseases. In order to reduce the figure, a campaign to disinfect water was opened in Luanda. In December, UNICEF's annual reports indicated that Angola is still one of the countries where children are less likely to attain adulthood. On that same month, sources from the World Health Organisation (WHO) denied rumours that the Ebola Virus had appeared in Benguela province. The US government gave the UN US$500 000 for the extended vaccination programme in Angola, while Italian NGO MOUSV handed over two medical centres with equipment costing US$250 thousand to the Huambo provincial government. Meanwhile, UNICEF made available US$300 thousand for a drinking water supply network in Caculo (Hula). The Social Support Fund (FAS), installed in Benguela province in early 1995, had, by November, approved 25 projects valued at US$400 000 in the province. A portuguese NGO, the Institute for Development Studies - with European Union financing - was giving professional training to some 300 Angolan youths in that same province. In September, various Portuguese institutions signed a protocol with Angolan authorities to train destitute Angolan youths. In November, a workshop was opened on the problems of Luanda's war veterans and handicapped population. Crime, corruption and the law Several cases of fraud, theft and assassinations - mostly linked to thefts were reported. Unita's Isaias Samakuva expressed his concern at robberies taking place throughout Angola, that he attributed to uncontrolled military groups. eace p In October, a UNAVEM-Ill source informed that an estimated 700 000 weapons remained in civilian hands in Luanda alone. Ten days later, the BBC reported the Angolan government's programme to collect those weapons, at a cost of US$15 million. Several measures were taken to better control crime and corruption. A law creating the High Authority Against Corruption - independent organ attached to the National Assembly - was approved, while the Permanent Commission of the Council of Ministers created a body to fight crime. In mid-October, the new commanders of the Police General Command were installed, and, by early December, police sources informed that additional measuros were taken to assure security for the population during the Christmas holidays. FOREIGN RELATIONS In late October, MPLA Secretary-General, Lopo do Nascimento, expressed his conviction that the party would be admitted to the Socialist International at its meeting scheduled for Brussels in 1996. South Africa: In mid-October, Savimbi visited South Africa for the second time since May, to reaffirm his commitment to peace and to ask President Mandela to withdraw Executive Outcomes company from Angola. In late October, the South Africa Vice-Minister of Tourism and the Environment visited Angola to identify areas and ways of cooperation in tourism. Other African countries: In midSeptember, the Congolese President, Pascoal Lissouba, visited Angola to discuss the general economic and social situation, Cabinda and the peace process. In late September, he visited Togo, and in early October, returning from Paris, he travelled to Morocco to inform King Hassan 1I on the outcome of his last meeting with President Dos Santos in Brussels. Savimbi also visited Cote d'ivoire, Zimbabwe and Zambia and, in late November, he travelled to Cote d'lvoire and Congo, where he again met President Lissouba. Portugal and the Lusophone countries: n September, President Dos Santos travelled to Lisbon for talks with Prime Minister Cavaco Silva, to whom he pledged his political support. In October, speaking on Portuguese television, Jonas Savimbi expressed his satisfaction at the departure of outgoing Prime Minister Cavaco Silva, together with the hope rocess thatthe incoming would be more impartial when dealing with Angola, But by the 12th, sources close to Unita leaked to the press their surprise at the choice of Jose Lamego for the, post of State Secretary for Cooperation, since - they argued - "his links with the MPLA government are well-known." In mid-October, a delegation of Portuguese businessmen from Portugal's Braganca region arrived in Luanda to 'familiarise themselves with the Angolan market. In October, the possibility of Portuguese President, Mario Soares, visiting Angola before the expiry of his mandate was announced, while Dos Santos announced a visit to Portugal in December. In late December, Portuguese President, Mario Soares, reiterated to the press that, on his trip to Angola, he would not visit Savimbi at Bailundo, to avoid giving the impression that there are two Angolas. He said a meeting with Savimbi would not be indispensable, but it could be held somewhere near Luanda, since Savimbi does not accept to travel to the Angolan capital. Paulo Lukamba Gato rejected any possibility of Soares meeting Savimbi outside Balundo& The USA: The US government bestowed the Medal of the Maltese Cross on Anolan Foreign Minister, Venancio de oura, for his positive diplomatic engagement. In mid-October, several Angolan economic associations and the US Ambassador to Angola held a meeting on the topic "Prospects for Business Cooperation Between Angola. and the United States." In late October, the Angolan Ambassador to the US said that dozens of North-American businessmen were ready to invest in Angola, but "first, we have to organise ourselves." He added that Americans could not understand, for example, "explanations given for the delay In implementing the Lusaka Protocol, and even less the absence of free movement of people and goods in Unitacontrolled areas. Leaving Angola on 9 November, George Moose renewed his government's interest in strengthening etonomic relations with Angola as soon as the government displayed more transparency in managing the economy. A US delegation including businessmen, military, politicians and journalists also travelled to *Continued on next page ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4 I Re,_Jorial File

The peace prccess * Continued from previous page Angola to assess progress in the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol. In early December, President Dos Santos visited the US and met with President Clinton. According to Gerald Bender, US academic and analyst of Angolan affairs, the visit had "gone very well," and President Dos Santos declared to the Washington Post that he valued as a victory the fact that the US President received him at the White House. In New York, on 12 December, he deemed that continued US support for the peace process was absolutely necessary. According to press reports, Savimbi also hoped to visit the USA before year's end. On 14 December, President Clinton's National Security Advisor, Anthony Lake, phoned Savimbi to inform him of results of Dos Santo's visit to the US, and called on him for a in the peace process. France: In early October, Jonas Savimbi was visiting Paris, where he was received by French President J. Chirac, to whom he reiterated his "total commitment to peace and to Angola's economic and social reconstruction." Later on that same month, the French Minister for Cooperation made a twoday visit to Angola to consider France's participation in the Community Rehabilitation Programme. In mid-December, Eric Noitakis, Commercial Counsellor of the French Embassy, manifested his country's desire to advance from the third to thesecond position among Angola's trading partners. He added that France is ready to support the Programme for Community Rehabilitation. 5.6 Other developed countries: At a meeting with the Angolan Minister of Agriculture in Luanda, the German Minister of State for Economic Cooper. ation expressed his counWry's interest in recovering properties abandoned by German nationals in 1975 due to the war. By late September, Spain was financing social projects in Angola worth US$2.5 million. In November, the new premises of the Law Faculty- financed by the Spanish government - were in. augurated in Luanda. In late October, after a four- day visit to Angola, the Norwegian Minister for Cooperation and Development said that, while his country would not abandon its support to social projects, it hoped to engage in a more comprehensive cooperation, particularly in the energy sector. 'On 23 December, the Angola-Japan Solidarity Association (ASANJA), and NGO, was formed in Luanda to undertake soio-cultural activities and support to community development. I1 ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4 Zimbabwe News Subscription Rates (Please tick a box to select your term) ZIMBABWE o 12 issues (1 year) $30-00 o 6 issues (6 months) $15-00 REGIONAL o 12 issues (I year) US$37-20 o 6 issues (6 months) US$18-60 OVERSEAS (Europe) o 12 issues (1 year) US$57-60 o 6 issues (6 months) US$28-8O N A M E: ...... AD D RESS: ...... S...... SIG3N ATU RE : ...... TH!E RATES INCLUDE POSTAGE AND HIANDII'G. I enclose my chequeo Postal ordero For the amount indicated above Mail to: The Circulation Manager, The People's Voice, P.O. Box CY3206, Causeway, 144 Union Avenue, Harare, Tel: 790148/9,

Ulxtile sector needs government move World Bank-financed study has A warned that the potential of Zimbabwe's clothing and textile industry as a major foreign currency earner will not be realised unless government solve major macro-economic problems facing the enterprise Isector. The study, discussed at a one-day meeting in Harare on 12 March, listed the high cost of money, the distorted tariff structure, lack of a clear industrialisation policy, as well as inadequate export incentives as some of the issues needing urgent attention. The study was carried.out in the wake of the plight of the sector facing viability problems since the 1991/2 drought which was followed by the loss of the key South African market. "Textile companies represent two extremes - either totally incapable of getting financing or with significant international support. Companies without support are in danger of bankruptcy without immediate capital input, which in unlikely," said the study. It criticised lack of computerised systems in the industry, general low level of skills and centralised management structure which stifled initiative. Among other problems indentified are lack of creativity which the study was a recipe for disaster "because the success factor price gets high priority and tyhe industry becomes vulnerable to countries providing lower prices" It said the fashion content of local products, although satisfying the local market, did not meet the demands of western European retailers. The study recommends an integrated policy which would provide incentives and other support measures from imports, using a phased duty structure over a five-year period up to the turn of the century. Government, the study said, should reform the complex taxation system, redefine its policy of controlling second-hand clothing, speed up the establishment of the long-awaited export processing zones, support the creation of a fashion institute and measures to strengthen trade bodies and the local investment promotion agency. ZIANA 0] ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4 he general picture of the South African economy in 1996, as sketched by the South African Reserve Bank in its December Quarterly Bulletin, is quite positive. Economic growth, is higher and inflation lower. Key areas of progress are: - Economic growth: The pace of growth has improved, and has shifted to sectors where growth may be expected to be more sustainable. Real gross domestic product seems set to increase by more than 3 percent in 1995 compared with 1994, non-agricultural production by more than 4 percent and manufacturing output by more than 7 percent. - Fixed investment- Real fixed investment rose by 8,7 percent in 1994 and seems set to rise by a further 10 percent in 1995. The increase is concentrated in several sub-sectors of manufacturing, and augurs well for future production capacity and exports. - Inflation: increases in both the consumer and production price indices came down to levels last attained in the early 1970s. Expectations of a return to double- digit inflation have been proven- wrong by the latest 12-month consumer price inflation rate, which amounted to 6,3 percent. Conservative monetary policies, a smaller government budget deficit, a stable exchange rate and lower import tariffs contributed to the lower inflation, as did extremely low inflation in food prices. - Exchange control and related poliies: The long-criticised financial rand system was abolished as from *Continued on next page Enjoying a growing economy -- SA President, Cde Nelson Mandela

The Reserve Bank viev 0 Continued from previous page sion to the private sector hovered Africa remain concentrated in I around 18 percent. Although the foho investment and loan fina 13 March 1995. Having been done from a position of strength and stability, this step contributed to inflows of foreign capital rather than the outflows which had been expected in some corners. Having done away which has been expected in some corners. Having done away with exchange controls over non-residents, the South African authorities continued with steps to liberalise the dispensation as far as residents are concerned. these included approval for asset swap schemes l4etween South African and foreign institutions, and the gradual vthdrawal of the South African Reserve Bank from the market in forward foreign exchange. Mindful of the experience elsewhere in the world, the intention is to continue on the path of gradual rather than big bang reform in 1996. - Capital inflows: Considerable net inflows continued, allowing South Africa to import more than it exports. Since the current account deficit, at 2,3 percent of GDP, remains within bounds and since the rise in imports has been concentrated in capital goods, the current account position to date gives little reason for concern. The capital inflow also allowed the Reserve Bank to purchase foreign exchange, using it to repay virtually all the Reserve Bank's foreign borrowings. Trade reforms: The surcharge on imports was abolished in October 1995, and a gradual lowering of import duties has commenced. This will favour higher efficiency in the domestic production processes, and will also help to discipline prices and wages in 1996. Negatives which remain, include the following: Employment The higher growth in total production has led to only marginal increases in formal sector employment, while the labour force continues to grow rapidly. - Credit extension and money supply: These have continied to grow too rapidly. M3 money supply growth over 12-month a period ranged from 12 to 17 percent, while the growth in banks' credit exten- growth in the narrower, more transactions related monetary aggregates were lower than that of M3 and although credit extension appeared to level off somewhat in the latest few months, a significant further deceleration in these aggregates is needed in order to promote sustained financial stability and low infation. Little foreign direct investment: The capital inflows entering South - Government dissaving: AlthOL the budget deficit as a percentz of GDP is being reduced, gove ment remains a net dissav Government is still working on 1 ter mechanisms for financial pl, ning and control in the provinc while severe problems are also! countered in the field of tax coll tion. There are no birds of our feather Because we offer the truly definitive example of the printer's art. The total job: typesetting, origination, printing and binding utilising the latest technology and completed to the highest international standards. Our very competitive prices will also give you something to crow about JONGWE PRINTING & PUBLISHING CO. (PVT.) LTD. 14 Austin Road, Workington, Harare Telephone 664749, 668428, 668431 ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NC

A post-mortem of Presideintial Electioiis By Malachia M. Basvi Madimutsa residential elections are now history. Once again, President Robert Gabriel Mugabe has been returned to the august office with a landslide majority. Even if his two rivals (Bishop Muzorewa and Rev. Sithole) had combined their votes, they still needed to multiply their total times to approximate the number polled by the winner. Given the fact that this democratic country has no less than a dozen other silent political parties whose leaders failed to vote or be voted for, attempts to rival the ZANU PF President are like that of an ant which fools itself into eating too much in order to grow up to the size of an elephant. This scenario was comically stated by a French philosopher who said a frog blew itself out wanting to be as big as an ox. The problem The problem with "minority opposition parties in Zimbabwe is that of attempting to oppose where there is nothing to oppose. These futile attempts invariably end in embarrassing frustrations. Ten opposition parties failed to rise up from their beds to put up a candidate for the Presidential elections. Two men (Egypt Dzine Munhenzva and Clive Samvura) failed even to raise the required number of supporters to sponsor them as candidates for the Presidential elections. One wonders why these two wasted money and effort to bother the Registrar-General with their dreams for the Presidency. Two other equally comical pretenders to the throne were Bishop Muzorewa and Reverend Sithole. Although these two clergymen successfully managed to qualify for registration as Presidential candidates, they subsequently behaved queerly, each in his own peculiar fashion. *Rev. Sithole was the first to queer his own pitch by failing to address a campaign "rally" attended by only 30 gullible supporters. His explanation was that he had been feeling sick. Two days later, he failed to turn up at an even worse attended "rally". His explanation this time was that his absence had been occasioned by his fear for his life. Asked to elaborate on this, Rev. Sithole said agents of ZANU PF were after his life. Barely a week later, Rev. Sithole held a Press conference at which he accused his wife, Vesta Saungweme Sithole, of having received "millions of dollars" from ZANU PF to destroy his "Ndonga" party. As if this was not enough of a crazy clergyman's statement, Rev. Sithole went further to make the libellous accusation that Minister Kumbirai Kangai was the ZANU PFs mastermind in the involvement of Mrs Sithole in the destruction of his "Ndonga" party. When the election date was only 18 days away, Rev. Sithole held another Press Conference at which he claimed to be in possession of "secret documents" linking the Central intelligence Organisation (CIO) to a "scheme" for the destruction of his party. He gave this as his reason for withdrawing from the election contest. Birds of a feather Bishop is another man of the collar who left the pulpit to play off-side in the game of politics. During the Chimurenga War of national liberation, he was jokingly referred to as the "crow" because of his scavenging in Ian Smith's political dustbns. The Bishop started his campaign for the Presidential elections by giving the false promise that he was, going to be the . Two days before the hold ing of the elections, he followed Rev. Sithole's mistake by announcing withdrawal from the contest. seeing these two renegade Priest priest withdrawing from the election contest. Observers concluded that birds of a feather flock together. They both left the priesthood. They both were guests at a supperless political dinner with the enemy Ian Smith. They both temporally feigned retirement from politics and they had now both attempted belated withdrawal from the election contest. Section 94, paragraph 1 of the Electoral Act clearly states that all attempts at withdrawal after the expiry of less than 21 days before the election date are null and void. The two former priests who wanted the Presidency should surely have known the illegitimacy of their childish gimmicks. Why then did they do what was clearly illegal act of political immaturity? Bishop Muzorewa had even the insanity to petition the High Court for postponing the date of the election. A full bench of High Court Judges dismissed his senseless petition and ordered him to pay all the costs. Monkey tricks Where political rejects make monkey tricks, money must be their only motive. One sage once observed that the political industry is unique in that it is the only enterprise in which there can never be unemployment problems. This has been proved true in Zimbabwe Where opposition leaders can be funded by foreign donors. The only problem faced by opposition leaders is to justify expediture of the millions of dollars they receive. When Bishop Muzorewa and Rev. Sithole declared themselves candidates in the Presidential elections they new before hand that they were going to lose dismally. But, they needed to assure their foreign sponsors that they were spending the money in good faith. They also needed to do very little apart from attracting Press publicity. This is why they did not campaign throughout the country because the money would be spent on a cause they already knew they had lost. One interesting reason to prove that both Bishop Muzorewa and Rev. Sithole knew that each one of them was never going to be the President of Zimbabwe is the fact that none of them has the parliamentary support for Presidential office. Without parliamentary support, how could any of them form a Cabinet since Cabinet Ministers must be Members of Parliamert? The other point is that the Constitution stipulates that Parliament has the power to remove a President from office by impeachment. Since the current Parliament is loyal to President Mugabe by virtue of his office in both ZANU PF and the government, the same Parliament can simply be rebellious and vote to remove an unwanted President from office. Sithole and Muzorewa know all these facts but they nevertheless declared their candidature for the sole purpose of assuring their foreign sponsors that the millions of dollars they received was spent in vigorous efforts to remove President Mugabe from power. E ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4

A policy for sustainable economic growth By Dr. A.S. Jacobs, special adviser to the South African Minister of Finance he South African economy is currently experiencing a robust cyclical upswing, but the risk is nonetheless that its growth performance will revert once again to a level of between two to three percent per annum after the post- dividend had been exhausted. What can and peed therefore be done to improve, on a sustainable basis, the long-term growth performance of the economy? This matter has been exercising the mind of the Government since about August 1995 when President Mandela announced the appointment of a special Cabinet Committee tasked to assess which short to medium steps could be taken to enhance the growth performance of the economy. The challenges facing the South African economy are vast and complex. The greatest of them all is the high rate of unemployment. The task to be performed by the RDP will be so much easier if the growth performance and labour absorption capacity of the economy can be raised. The country's economically active population totals about 14 million, of which at least 33 percent is unemployed. The labour force is increasing by approximately 400 000 per annum and although employment has been rising during the current economic upswing, total unemployment is nonetheless still on the increase. This state of affairs is not conducive to social and political stability and additional Initiatives, apart from the more effective implementation of the RDP, are therefore, essential in order to improve the situation - in which respect the private sector and organised labour will have to play key roles. The solution for the economic problems facing South Africa is not to embark on higher public sector expenditure programmes, but to implement policies aimed at strengthening the supply-side of the ecqnomy and hence increasing its international competitiveness. We should not merely tinker with the symptoms of our structural defects, but directly tackle their causes - such as increasing the production capacity of the economy by productive investment, promoting small enterprises, training of workers, technological enhancement, higher productivity and better industrial relations. There is no easy or quick fix to overcome these structural defects. The National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC), with its four chambers, can play a constructive role in tackling the bottlenecks that inhibit the growth performance and labour absorption capacity of the economy, but it cannot usurp the function of government to devise a macroeconomic vision for South Africa and to coordinate policies in pursuit of these objectives. A Cabinet Economic Subcommittee is currently focusing on these issues. The main shortcoming of the original RDP was that it was not properly coordinated within the context of a cohesive and realistic macro-economic strategy. This shortcoming was vividly exposed when the demands which the projected RDP would impose on the country's fiscal and other resources were quantified end aggregated. It became obvious that proposed standards would have to be scaled down, that priorities would have to be determined and that the RDP would have to be implemented over a longer period. It is, however, in many respects a blessing in disguise that the implementation of the RDP has thus-far been sluggish in certain areas, for this has given the government the opportunity to re-assess policies, targets and priorities and to eliminate possible mistakes. What steps have been and are being taken to improve the coordination of policies and the growth potential of the economy? Various investigations aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the South African economy have been conducted in recent years (e.g. those funded by a grant received from the Japanese Government in 1994 and the report of the Monitor Company 1994). The report of the Commission that investigated competition policy in the South African economy should also be released in the near future. This may give rise to serious differences of opinion between government and business. The economy, in compliance with South Africa's World Trade Organisation.commitments, is being opened up to sterner foreign competition which is bound to affect the country's future pattern of investment, as well as the composition and destination of its exports and sources of imports. El Zimbabwe News Subscription Rates (Please tick a box to select your term) ZIMBABWE REGIONAL OVERSEAS (Europe) o 12issues(Iyear)$30-00o 12issues(1 year)US$37-20o 12issues (I year) US$57-60 NA M E: ...... SIG NATURE: ...... o 6issues,(6months)$i5-00 o 6 issues (6 months) USSIS-60 o 6 issues (6 months) US$28-80 ADDRESS: ...... I HE-R NTI-S INCLUDE POSTAGE AND HANDILING. I enclose my chequeo Postal ordero For the amount indicated above Mail to: The Circulation Manager, The People's Voice, P.O. Box CY3206. Causeway, 144 Union Avenue, Harare, Tel: 790148/9. ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4 t-of-court settlement for deadly error ,he Japanese Government and five pharmaceutical firms agreed on March 14 to accept an out-of-cOurt ement in a suit filled by haemophiliwho contracted the AIDS virus ugh untreated blood products. -stimated 1 800 to 2 000 of about i0 Japanese haemophiliacs contractHIV through untreated blood lucts in the early 1980s. s is just the beginning, the beginning them to take steps to atone to the ims," said Kawada, a 20-year-old iersity student who contracted HIV n she was 10. The five pharmaceutical firms, two of them foreign-affiliates, said they would accept the settlement filed by 400 Japanese haemophfliacs. The companies named in the lawsuit are Chemo Sero Therapeutic Research Institute, Zoki Pharmaceutical, Baxter, Bayer Yukuhin and Green Cross. The parties had been working to reach a decision by the end of this month on whether to accept a proposal which recommended a one-time payment of 45 million (about Z$3.78 million) to each claimant or their families and continuing monthly payments. "We extend our heartfelt apologies to the people and the families who are the innocent victims of this terrible disease and pledge to continue our research into technologies in order to prevent such tragedies from occuring again," Baxter president James Hurley told a news conference soon after the announcement of the out-of-court settlement. Recent health ministry figures show there are 1 154 people with AIDS and 2 942 infected with the HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) in Japan, a nation of over 123 million. About 400 haemophiliacs have already died from AIDS-related complications, activists say. ZIANAREUTER El There are no birds of our feather Because we offer the truly definitive example of the printer's art. The total job: typesetting, origination, printing and binding utilising the latest technology and completed to the highest international standards. Our very competitive prices will also give you something to crow about JONGWE PRINTING & PUBLISHING CO. (PVT.) LTD. 14 Austin Road, Workington, Harare Telephone 664749, 668428, 668431 ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4 omen in Zimbabwe are greatly disturbed by their low-level of representation in decisionmaking concerns, hence the theme for this year's International Women's Day (March 8): Political Empowerment for Women, There are other equally perturbing issues such as the rising figure of rape cases involving both older women and young girls, wife-battering, abuse of women at workplaces and bias of parents against the girl child on the education front. But while concerned with these issues which, in essence touch on the family unit, women are, by and large, waging a diplomatic war towards the realisation of total emancipation - towards fair recognition of potential and ability, equal acess to opportunities and participation in every sphere of human activity as dictated by merit. At most, however, some members of the fairer sex allege that women's struggle towards equality is impeded by men. But some women now see things differently, including the few in decisionmaking positions. Thus this year's "theme marks a shift in the women's focus in their endeavours aimed at liberating themselves from a long-standing subservient role to men. Cde. Florence Chitauro, the Minister of National Affairs, Employment Creation and Co-operatives - one of the two women in cabinet, says man is only an imagined hindrance in their struggle for equality. "The struggle for equality has to start amongst women themselves. We are the problem in our own struggle. "We are jealous of each other, we don't want to elect fellow women into positions of power, and we are unnecessarily suspicious of each other's endeavours and success," said Cde. Chitauro. It is this view that compelled women to celebrate this year's occasion with a theme underlining their new line of thinking: That to achieve any meaningful and substantive gains towards emancipation from male dominance, they have to mobilise and educate themselves to take advantage of their majority over men in such events as elections We are jealous and suspicious of each other - Cde. Florence Chitauro so that more and more women could be terested in using them in their bi voted into positions of authority. socio-political conquest. "In this country, women vote but, it seldomly occur to them that their vote can change not only the face of politics in this country, but also their situation and ultimately, their lives," she added. "Instead, however, women look down on other women when it comes to elections preferring to vote men into positions of power and authority." But even this new shift in focus could still rock the boat as some women at the grassroot regard their peers with suspicion. Women at grassroots, most of whom were victims of both the colonial regime's 'punitive education system and cultural bias by parents against girls (still prevailing in some sections) that deprived them of education, feel that their educated fellows are merely in- "It is a vicious, circle but one we wa to break for the betterment of women - educated or otherwise, ri or poor," noted Cde. Chitauro. The gap between the fortunate educ ed few and the unfortunate uneduc, ed majority is nonetheless, widening I the day - mainly due to the same e ment of mistrust. For instance, while t educated few srek to be accommod ed in decision-making circles, the or nary majority are mostly concern with being accorded respect and preciation by men. A woman raised through the values the olden times has little or nothing all in common with "today's womel As noted earlier, the former is contel *Continued on next page ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO

Women are their own problem *Continued from previous page ed and self-contained while the latter is out-going, ambitious and sensitive to her rights. This, to an extent, scares away the ordinary majority as they fear for loss of the feminist identity. The situation is further complicated when the fortunate few attend seminars and workshops purporting to be representative of the grassroot majority. Worse still, some of these workshops and seminars come out with views that threaten the family unit - the very aspect that the grassroot majority treasure most and guard jealously. For example, some of the women intellectuals were on record last year as saying lobola should be abolished as it misled men into abusing their wives on the basis that they paid for them. This met with an outcry from the grassroot women and was never said again. Sometimes the grassroot woman never get to hear of what transpired at these gatherings as is the case with the Beijing International Women's Conference held in September last year. 'We don't have the resources to go back into the rural areas, to explain the deliberations at the Conference much as we would like to do that. Besides," added Minister Chitauro, "there is nothing to explain to them other than probably, reading out the resolutions." Yet before leaving Zimbabwe for Beijing, the Minister says wide consultative meetings were held with women at the grassroot through various media such as non-governmental organisations, church organisations, and political structures. These consultations composed the Zimbabwean paper presented at the Beijing Conference. But then, the Minister says, there are no resources for those who attended the meeting to go and report back to those they were representing in China. There are, however, some common areas where women wholly agree. These include the aspect of inheritance, abus(i of women in the home and at workplaces, abuse of the girl child and rape of women. "As women, we agree in totality, on the need to see some improvements on the question of inheritances as, in most cases involving lowly-educated women, properly is lost to greedy relatives of the deceased leaving the widow with almost nothing. "We are also equally worried by violence in the home and sexual harassment at workplaces. We are also concerned with the increase in rape case figures and abuse of the girl child and we all feel that something tangible and substantive has to be done by women to curb pepertration of these crimes since it is now clear to us that the law alone cannot bring us total freedom," explained Cde. Chitauro. Thus measures are already being put into place to combat these crimes, the majority of which go unreported. "But the most terrible thing right now is that crimes like rape and abuse of the girl child are being committed by very close people such as uncles and stepfathers. This is cause for great concern amongst women," she stated. Inspite of all this, Zimbabwe has made significant progress in various areas that concern women. Only sixteen years after attaining independence, the country has two worn- en Cabinet ministers, one woman governor, four deputy ministers, two permanent secretaries, a couple of woman ambassadors and three woman chiefs. In addition, there are 10 woman Members of Parliament excluding the ministers. The has also amended and enacted various statutes with a view to improving the status of women - notably, the Legal Age Majority, Education and Labour Acts. Even some constitutional clauses have been redrafted in areas where the government felt women were left in the cold. And on the girl child, the government through its various machinery and partners in development such as nongovernmental organisations has been urging all parents to afford their children equal access to education on the dictation of merit. Women in Zimbabwe account for a three-four percent majority over men in a country with a population of about 12 million. D Indigenisation of the economy By Malachia M. Basvi Madimutsa resident Robert Mugabe has been given another six-year mandate to complete the programme for black economic empowerment. In his election campaigns, the President repeatedly affirmed the government's unwavering commitment to indigenisation of the economy. His statements were reiterated by his two Vice-Presidents and the National Chairman, Cde. Joseph Msika in scores of public rallies they addressed during the month-long election campaign. This intensified commitment to indigenisation of the economy gives greater inspiration to the Parliamentary Committee on the Indigenisation of the National Economy. At present, the Committee is working on guidelines issued by the ZANU PF Politburo two years ago at the Victoria Falls Retreat. Macro-economic parameters The Indigenisation Committee has to work within the horizons of the country's macro-economic parameters. It is obvious that the economy has suffered from severe imbalances on the domestic and external fronts. The imbalances have resulted in low rate of growth, inflationary pressure and rising unemployment. These imbalances have been worsened by deficits in the balance of payments caused by foreign debt repayments in the midst of dwindling capital inflows. The budget deficit is growing at a rate far in excess of revenue collection. The pecularity of the budget deficit is that it is financed by bank loans and if this continues, there will be a severe crowd*Continued on next page ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4 Indigenisation of the economy *Continued from previous page ing out of investment capital from tle dpmestic market. Most of the economic problems facing the country can be solved by channelling available financial resources to the productive sector. Unemployment can only be reduced by the expansion of the productive sector. The expansion of the productive sector is conditional upon the availabity of investment funds. The funds are only available from commercial bank loans. The situation at present is that the unproductive public sector is borrowing close to 75 percent of commercial bank loans. This means that the productive sector and individual borrowers have to compete in the sharing of only 25 percent of commercial bank loans. The fact that the productive sector and individual borrowers are currently competing for only 25 percent of commercial bank loans, puts the banking community in the position of charging high interests for loans. High interest rates in the economy fuels inflation. Self sustaining Indigenisation of the economy is the economic manifestation of nationalism. This calls for internationalisation of the national economy instead of its current externalisation. The source of its growth should be its own resources consisting of the resourcefulness of the country's citizens and their ability to accumulate savings for internal investments. The present macro-economic environment shows that rapid progress has been made in manpower indigenisation of the public sector which is nonproductive and has no capacity for employment generation. Industry and commerce have a superficial black manpower base which has neither the ownership nor control of the work-place. This is a negative aspect which militates against indigenisation in these sectors. Emphasis should now be on the establishment of a mechanism for ensuring ownership and control by indigenous entrepreneurs in industry and commerce. In order to do this, the government should pass urgent legislation to compel the banks to give soft loans to indigenous borrowers as a matter of priority. The government can ease monetry pressures by reducing its own borrowings from the commercial and merchant banks. Loans Indigenisation of the economy requires large sums of money loaned to unsecured borrowers. Commercial and merchant banks cannot provide these vast sums of money without a loans mechanism in which the government provides guarantees. There is already a Loan Guarantee Fund designed to serve this particular purpose. The disbursement of loan facilities through the established system whereby the Treasury sources the funds and appoints the Reserve Bank to delegate the Credit Guarantee Company of Zimbabwe to process loan applications by emergent black businessmen is to too cumbersome. The system further requires that the Credit Guarantee Company distributes the facility throughout the spectrum of banking institutions for apportionment to the approved applicants. So far, a very large majority of emergent indigenous businessmen and women have complained that the system is not designed to give maximum assistance to the targeted group of aspiring entrepreneurs. Currently, the government has been pressurised to set up a gender facility to cater for business women. This compartmentalisation of the economic empowerment programme is certain to raise problems of equitable distribution where indigenous women and men who are aspiring to be participant entrepreneurs will querrel over quantum percentages of the apportionments. The shortage of finance capital for indigenous entrepreneurs is directly connected to the large percentage of government borrowings from commercial banks. As stated above, the government currently borrows about 75 percent of commercial bank loans. This percentage should be reduced if the government wants to reserve more loan facilities for indigenous economic empowerment programmes. The Parliamentary Committee on the Indigenisation of the National Economy issued a document which says, in part: "The lending policies of commercial banks and other development banks in Zimbabwe are largely inhibitive to the development of micro-enterprises in Zimbabwe. Their over-emphasis on collateral security automatically eliminates over 90 percent of the indigenous business people from receiving financial assistance." The report further states: "Institutions such as SEDCO, Credit Guarantee Com- pany, Venture Capital Company, Zimbabwe Development Bank, Agricultural Finance Corporation, which aught to be vehicles of inaigenisation, are grossly underfunded and under-capitalised." "The government should establish", the report says, "a fund for the provision of loan guarantees to indigenous entrepreneurs ... Loan guarantee schemes have been used in some instances by industrialised countries to salvage or strengthen ailing private companies. The loan guarantee fund should be established as a means of increasing in. digenous participation in the national economy and it can also assist indigenous people in joint-venture projects." Public enterprises The example of Third World Countries which have reached the threshold of industrial development should be Zimbabwe's beacon for further development. Some of these countries are the so-called Asian Tigers (South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, etc.) All these countries started on their path to industrialisation on the platform of national patriotism. Like Zimbabwe, their nationals did not have the financial resources for embarking on industrialisation programmes. They, then, resorted to using their political power as an instrument for industrialisation programmes. Their political power functioned as the machinery of government. At first, their governments established public enterprises which saved as vehicles for indigenous economic empowerment. The nationals ran the public enterprises (parastatals) under patriotic inspiration. Later, their nationals bought shares in the public enterprises and eventually controlled them. These huge conglomerates are now able to compete on equal terms with the biggest transnationals from the industralised countries. This is the way forward for Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe, public enterprises are associated with inefficiency, corruption and maladministration. The reason for this is that we have very little or no patriotic inspiration. Parastatals are being turned into fiefdoms by their government- appointed managers who seek personal aggrandizement instead of being servants of the nation. The government should initiate reforms aimed at patriotic inspiration and bringing about commercial profitability instead of privatisation. 0 ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 No. 4 ka on campaign rallies By Zvenyika Kambizi U PF national chairman, Cde. Joseph Msika, has noted his satisfaction with the turn-out of Party members and supporters at the campin rallies. Addrssed' by the ZANU PF President d First Secretary, Cde. Robert Gabriel Mugabe, his two deputies Cdes Simon muzenda and Joshua Nkomo, and himself, Cde. Msika said al campaign rallies were well-attended with the crowds markedly enthusiastic. Giving his summary of the campaign programme to this magazine on March 18, Cde. Msika said various views and suggestions were put forward to the Party leaders during the period running from February 7 to March 15 - a day before the Presidential Election on 16-17 March. Here are some of the comments and suggestions made by the people during the countrywide ZANU PF campaign programme as noted by the Party's national chairman: - That the people aregrateful to Cde. Robert Mugabe for giving Zimbabwe a committed, consistent and unwavering leadership that resulted in the liberation of this country, - That the people have trust and confidence in'Cde. Mugabe's vision and efforts aimed at the immediate redressing of the unbalanced livelihood between the black majority and a few white minority That the people are grateful to the president for launching the rural de velopment policy at independence in 1980, aimed at redressing the imbalance created by the colonial regime. This they said, has contributed immensely towards the upliftment of the living standards of the masses of Zimbabwe - That they thank Cde. Mugabe, his Party ZANU PF and Government for having saved the people of Zimbabwe from the devastating 1992 drought by giving out food to the entire nation, and subsequently, fertfliser and seed packs to the communal farmers. That the people acknowledge and appreciate the efforts by the Party and Government to acquire and distribute land to the landless Zimbab- The Presidental Election campaign rallies were a success - Cde. . Msika weans despite the hurdles imposed by the Lancaster House Constitution. That, however, this being a very thorny issue, and realising that many black people are still to acquire land, the people urge the President to pursue the policy of land acquisition in order to realise fair land distribution - That the issue of affirmative action, aimed at black economic empowerment be pursued urgently as it is a matter of high concern to the indigenous people of Zimbabwe. Also suggested by the electorate was the need to put into place, urgent measures to construct dams, roads, clinics and the expansion of hospitals and Alevel schools where these exist while plans are immediately drawn to put up these facilities where they do not exist. Also noted by the rural electorate during the campaign programme was the need to train more teachers so that rural schools could as well enjoy quality education. concern over lack of accommodation and exorbitant water charges by what they called unscrupulous council staff Who never bothered to read the meters but got their figures from their own heads. Noting that answers to all questions posed to the ZANU PF leadership during the campaign rallies were give, Cde. Joseph Msika-added that people everywhere expressed their gratitude to President Robert Mugabe for the realisation of unity between former (PF ZAPU and ZANU PF) which brought about peace, tranquility and political stability in Zimbabwe. Cde. Msika nonetheless, castigated the two opposition leaders, Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole and Bishop Abel Muzorewa for working against the prevailing peace through their divisive tactics. The national chairman said the withdrawal by Sithole and Muzorewa from the Presidential Election race on the eleventh hour was part of the half- In urban areas, the electorate expressed *Continued on next page MBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4

I Dy I-venyuca AamozziI hle Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has drawn up a new peace proposal for the Korean Peninsula. Speaking in an interview with this magazine last month in Harare, the DPRK ara1] bassador to Zimbabwe, Cde. Li Myong Chol, said the new proposal was aimed at bringing tentative peace to the peninsula through a concrete peace agreement. The proposal, which now awaits America's support, entails three major points: concluding tentatively an agreement on new peace mechanisms; having regular consultative meetings between the DPRK and the USA; and the establishment of a USA/DPRK Joint Military Commission. 0 The new peace initiative is aimed at replacing the Armistice Agreement because, according to Cde. Chol, a ceasefire is just that - a ceasefire. But, he said, the DPRK was seeking a peace hearted approch to issues that concern the masses by the two clerics. He said the move was a desperate attempt by the two to avoid certain humiliation at the hands of the ruling Party's candidate, Cde. Robert Mugabe. Cde. Msika observed that the two also knew that defeat in the election would have heavily dented whatever remained of their political dignity. This, noted the Party chairman, would also have rendered Sithole and Muzorewa useless henceforth, in the eyes of their sponsors and in the minds of the electorate at large. "I see the whole thing as a deliberate move which they took after realising that they were going to fail dismally in the election. That they were surely destined for humiliating defeat which was going to put a stop to their misguided political careers," said Cde. Msika. He added: "It appears that they were frightened by the overwhelming turnout of the people at the ZANU PF campaign DPRK ambassador to Harare, Cde Li Myong Chol agreement to avoid and prevent any breakout of a war in the peninsula adding that peace would enhance and quicken economic development in the whole of Asia. The Armistice Agreement was signed and sealed in Paris in 1954 followinR the He further stated stated that Sithole and Muzorewa timed their withdrawal to the last minute so that the ZANU PF leadership would not be able to advise their supporters to go-ahead and vote. "Knowing the two as I do, they have neither anything serious to offer to the people nor do they have the concerns ,nd aspirations of the people at heart. "They are tricksters solely interested in whatever personal gains they can accrue at the expense of the people. We have worked with them before and we are quite aware of what they are capable of doing and what they are incapable of," explained the ZANU PF national Party chairman. ZANU PF's Cde. Robert Gabriel Mugabe was re-elected Executive President of the Republic of Zimbabwe after polling over 93 percent of the 1.5 million votes cast during the two day (March 16-17) Presidential Election. The victory mandates Cde Mugabe to lead the government of Zimbabwe for the next six years. 0 1950-1953 war which kille maimed thousands of people a ca fought the Korean people. mistice provided for the creation a Korean nations - the north anc south. "It is on this basis that we want to into a firm peace agreement wid United States alone because South| was not there when the Armistice signed," said Coe. Chol. The ambassador added that it was after a concrete peace agreement the United States that there cai meaningful and substantive dial aimed at reunifying the North and s Korea. Nonetheless Cde. Chol is optimistic the two Korean nations will reuni form a federal republic before the 2000. A Non-aggression Declaration beti the USA and DPRK was concluded a five years ago while at about the s time, the Joint Military Commission agreed on. What remains now, aa ing to ambassador Chol, is the plementation of the agreements. The Joint Military Commission wi amongst other duties,- be expecte monitor and investigate all issues i ed to the sustanance of peace ir. peninsula and put to an end joint tary exercises between South Korea the USA. Cde. Chol welcomed recent human an assistance rendered his countr the United States and other Eurol states following a spate of floods destroyed property and displ hundreds of people but deplorec with strings attached. *Continued on nv.# ae ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. Msika on campaign rallies *Continued from previous page rallies."

Iearly two years atter taking power, Malawi's President Bakili Muluzi has won praise for lighta flame of freedom in an authoritarpeace plan or Korean Peninsula .ontinued from previous page ambassador said the United States I some western countries have a tency of tying some political strings to ir assistance, adding that such aid snot welcome in his country. ie USA and some western nations asne that because they now have conling political and economic interests he south, they can as well conquer north. They want to use the same tics they applied in the former East I West Germany in the Korean iinsula. it their biggest problems is that our ublic has advanced and is still adicing socialism along the Juche idea. is any pressure from the USA or any er force that might be will not yield r results at all, which is why we are ;hing for dialogue for the realisation peace in the peninsula." nmenting on allegations that about 00 missiles stationed in the South are getted at North Korea with thousands USA troops carrying out joint military nouvres with South Korea, Cde. Chol ed that this was an old story whose in purpose was to pressurise the 1K into submission. Ley have been doing that for quite ie time now with a view to exerting ssure on us. But that won't work out ill because as country, we have made versible political progress over the irs which we can never compromise under whatever circumstances, no tter how excruciating," explained Chol. DPRK ambassador further stated t the proposal has already won wide rational support. Zimbabwe, he i, was one of the countries that has ported the new peace initiative. I] I By Lawrence Bartlett ian society, but it is being beffeted by negative effect of the political transition chill economic winds, is that they have not seen the economThe basis of the change was to get rid ic benefits, he said. of the old regime because it was con- Donor nations, which suspended hutravening all human rights regulations manitarian aid to Malawi to pressure at the new one has been very good in Banda into calling the 1994 elections, that area, European Union representa- have shown some willingness to help tive in Malawi, Peter Christiansen told Muluzi over this bump. AFP last month. Although debts have not been written Malawians themselves, whether off on any large scale, the Z$3.1 billion bureaucrats, businessmen or labourers, in aid that Malawi asked for this year tend to give similar answers when asked has been fully subscribed - mainly by whether their lives have improved since the World Bank, the European Union, Muluzi ousted former president Hastings the United States and Japan. Kamuzu Banda in elections in May 1994. They say they feel free to speak their minds on political issues after 30 years of fear under Banda, who ruled from independence from Britain in 1964 until western donors pressured him into holding multiparty elections. But, as in many of the new multiparty democracies in southern Africa, such as Zambia and South Africa, Muluzi's greatest enemy may be the unfulfilled expectations of those who voted him into power. People cannot eat democracy... Nor can they feed their children with human rights, President Muluzi told Parliament recently. He inherited one of the world's poorest countries, saddled with a foreign debt of Z$17.1 billion. President Muluzi has appealed to donors to write off the debt so that the country can have a fresh start. "The western nations helped Africa in its quest for democracy. I think they are under a moral obligation to support African nations with their economic effort," he said, warning that democratic gains could be wiped out by economic difficulties. Inflation has at times hit treble figures under an economic liberalisation programme backed by the International Monetary Fund, and Christiansen says this has probably had the most damaging effect on the government's popularity. For most Malawians the most important A senior diplomat representing one of Malawi's major European aid donors said the country had scored a pass mark so far. "There are more exams in the future. What it needs now is a continuation of the quite difficult medicine." He expressed concern, however, over increasing reports of corruption in Muluzi's government. Othei( commentators don't like the fact that Muluzi's face has made its appearance on the 200 kwacha bill, the currency's biggest denomination note. They see it as an ominous echo of the cult of personality that surrounded former President Banda - whose face still appears on all other bills and coins. They also don't like Muluzi's bloated cabinet of 32 ministers, each with a deputy and a permanent secretary. But Muluzi is conducting something of a juggling act at the moment, trying to keep aloft the wobbly coalition between his United Democratic Front JUDF) and the Alliance for Democracy (AFORD). AFORD officials keep threatening to pull out of the coaliation, citing issues such as too many jobs for the boys from Muluzi's southern stronghold while its own stamping ground in the north is ignored. In a country where regional loyalties are crucial in elections, these are impoffant issues - particularly with former president Banda's Malawi Congress Party waiting hungrily on the sidelines with its support still powerful in the centre of the country. AFP .] E NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4

Nes pdt LUganda~e~n hrgIIe toendrebelioJn. L ByVincnt M~ang eligious and opposition leader has called for negotiations to end a rebellion in northern Uganda that is claiming hundreds of lives, but president Yoweri Museveni says he is ready to crush the guerrillas. The fighters, who belong to the Lord's Resisitance Army (LRA) and describe Cde. Museveni as Lucipher, are ambushing convoys, torching villages and abducting locals. Led by former Roman Catholic catechist Joseph Kony, they say they want to despose President Museveni, who is holding Presidential and Parliamentary Elections later this year, because he is a dictator , and that they plan to capture Kampat. Roman Catholic Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala, the leader of the Church in Uganda, said in a statement last month that a political solution must be sought to end this civil war which has indiscriminately claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed valuable property, thus causing untold suffering of our brothers and sisters in the north. Poloticians from northern Uganda accused the government of not doing enough to protect the people against rebel attacks. Leader Komakech, a member of the small opposition National Liberal Party from the northern district of Kitgum, said guns had failed to resolve the problem. "We now remain with dialogue as the option," he said. But the government appears set on a military solution, sending army reinforcements and helicopter gunships to the north. "We cannot have round-table talks with criminals who kill innocent civilians," military spokesman Keril Magara told AFP. Kony has to be defeated and be brought before a court of law for justice to take its course and a verdict passed. He declined comment on charges by northerners that the helicopters are aggravating the death toll by killing many innocent civilians, including abductees dragged into the bush by his guerrillas. Constitutional lawyer Charles Peter Mayiga told journalists in Kampala that the rebels may be vagabonds or rogues, but the government should talk to them in order to save some innocent lives. "I think the government must put aside its pride, and save a few lives by talking to these people," he said. They cannot overrun the country and take over government, but they are able to wreak havoc among the populace. President Museveni, while transmitting his condolences to the families of more that 100 people killed in an ambush on Sunday March 10, described that attack as barbaric and a terrorist act that should be punished. He expressed his government's readiness to crush the rebels. And on Tuesday March 12, Parliament asked the government for an authoritative and formal statement on the situation after suspending normal business to debate the rebellion. Opposition leader Paul Ssemogerere, who is running for president, asked the government last week to be more open about the war and proposed a commission of inquiry into it. A few days later, the inter-Party cooperation grouping opposition parties pleaded with the government not to attack the rebels harshly, saying army often- lthough information exchange has been identified as crucial to capacity-building within SADC sectors, language barriers, lack of skills, financial resources and inadequate technology are hampering information flow. The Sector Coordinator of the Maputobased SADC Culture and Information sives were exacerbating the suffering of innocent people. Reports fron the north indicate massive deloyment of troops allong the roads, where civilians travel with military escorts. Military sources say the heavy deploy. ment has forced the rebels to go into hiding. The government describes the LRA as the heirs of the the rag-tag army led by prophetess Alice Lakwema in the 1980s who smeared nut-oil on their bodies in the belief that it would deflect bullets as they marched into battle singing hymns. Museveni's army routed Lakwena's movement in 1987 - she fled to a refugee camp in neighbouring Kenya - but northern rebels have continued sporadic fighting ever since. President Museveni signed a peace agreement with the Ugandan People's Democratic Army rebels in 1988, but splinter groups soon resumed fighting. Kony, whose men have been accused of cutting off villagers' lips, held tAlks with the government in 1991, but as agree. ment appeared to be near, Museveni ordered the LRA to surrender within a week, saying talks could continue after that. - AFP 0 Sector, Renato Matusse, believes there are still a number of problems as information sharing in the region is not quite so easy. The sector is the main instrument of mobilising people to be involved in the eContinued on next page ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4 SADC urged to promote information exchange By Virginia Kapembeza urged to promote information exchange ued from previous page tion of ideas and information c remunity, its development a esand the role they can play. ectivities of the sector are also to nce the cultural dimension of eelopment. In interview held during the SADC Anal Consultative Conference in mdrand, South Africa recently, Matusse aid there is a potential for private sector investment in information tchnology. le said there is need to look carefully into the issue of sustainability when talking about the role of his sector in regional integration and cooperation matters. The sector is trying to "mobilise and manage concerns that are sustainable and self- generating although we realise that it is important for us to get as much coverage of our activities as possible." Matusse said dissemination of information through electronic mail (E-mail) is very important as it eventually is cheaper and much more efficient. This however has financial and technological implications for member states who have to improve telecommunication services but "all countries are aware of the importance of improved telecommunications." on culture, the sector coordinator said that preparations for the Theatre Festival planned for October in Mozambique are quite advanced and a national preparatory committee has been set up. The festival will be held in Mozambique and is the second in a series of SADC Festivals of Arts and Culture to be hosted by different member states over four years. The first was the Music Festival in Ha-. rare last year which brought together talented musicians from the region. The festivals are aimed at bringing people in the region together to share experiences relevant to their artform and to instil4n them the objectives of the community. Matusse said last year's SADC Music Festival and the thriving craft industry in the region have shown that if properly harnessed and financial resources given, this sector would be an investment which can get quick returns. The Culture and Information Sector has secured funding for a study of its policies, priorities and strategies and this should begin soon. The SADC Sector on Food Agriculture and Natural Resources (FANR), which cuts across eight other SADC sectors also urged information exchange at a five- day workshop it organised late last year. The workshop, held in Harare, featured group discussions on the importance of information exchange between various interest groups and stakeholders in development. Discussion also focussed on how information could be used as an empowering tool. A definition of information was formulated as any message or knowledge necessary for one to make an informed decision regarding choices. Priority issues were identified during a group discussion concerning community participation by non-state stakeholders which fall into two groups: profit-driven and service or voluntary organisations. Nonprofit organisations include indigenous and international community-based organisations f(CBOs). Participants said it was important to promote increased participation by the business sector in the FANR issues. "Programme planning and implementation involves two-way consultation, there is need to coordinate relations between all stakeholders to avoid duplication especially at the regional level," said one participant. It was recommended that member states share information on safety nets. A way of ensuring this would be for SADC members to be legally bound to release information of regional importance in the interest of integration and building the community. A suggestion was made to sensitise the media about SADC and provide them access to SADC officials as sources for their -stories. Also key to improving participation, is the need for greater access to information and for better qualified media practitioners to convey accurate information to various target groups. One media consultant said the role of the media in the development of any community is interlocked with issues of democracy and respect for human rights which should thus be ensured. The consultant said the media ought to be made part of decision-making process not only in member states but within SADC organs in the interests of development. SADC seeks to involve grassroots people in policy issues and included nonstate stakeholders in the Annual Consultative Conference whose theme was Trade and Investment. Among other ways SADC can improve information flow is through: * improving the base of knowledge about SADC through circulation of information about its aims, activities and achievements; * strengthening capacity within the SADC region to collect, store, retrieve and disseminate information; * exploring new and appropriate information technologies and maintaining a balance in regional and international information exchanges; * improving information flow within and outside southern Africa from a regional perspective in order to enhance the concept of community. There is consensus within the region that information should be shared on policy between governments and the community. There is also need to have in-built information dissemination within institutions on relevant issues. SARDCO ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4

Pro-democracy movement growing in Swaziland he pro-democracy movement is growing in the mountain Kingdom of Swaziland. Last month, the wor kers organised a successful one-week strike. This month, they threatened to go on strike again if the King did not accede to their demands for democratic participation in the system. This is not the first we have heard about growing pressures for democracy in Swaziland. In the 1960s when the defi, ance campaign reached its peak at Sharpvile in March, 1960, there was then a liberation movement in Swaziland led by Dr. Zwane. But, it petered out and was ineffective when the Kingdom sought and got independence from Britain in 1968. ore than 70 percent of South Africans are poor, earning less than $750 a month, according to a study released in Johannesburg last month. The South African government has been addressing the question of poverty very seriously. Of the 31 million poor people, 95 percent were Black, according to the report released by Minister without Portfolio Comrade Jay Naidoo, who heads the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). ,The apartheid era has left a legacy of poverty and inequality in South Africa", he told a news conference. "In spite of the wealth of the country, a large share of population has not been able to benefit from the country's resources. The "Key indicators of Poverty in South Africa" report was prepared by the World Bank, based on a 1993 survey by researchers at the University of the Western Cape. The report said the average total monthly wage ranged from $700 a month for the poorest Black households to $12 640 a month in White homes. In terms of the survey, poor was defined The present King is a young man of 27 years of age. He chose the name King Mswati Ill. He succeeded to the thrope at the death of King Sobhuza III in 1991. The old King was a very wise old man who ruled the mountain kingdom for 60 years. He maintained tradition, but introduced many new ideas and institutions, including the University of Swaziland to train young Swazis. The young Mswati III also introduced many new ideas, but the democratic tide has overwhelmed him. Young Mswati has already taken five wives. A Swazi King is supposed to add a new wife every year. They organise an annual ceremony where all the young teenage girls in the nation parade before as earning below percentage 750 per month, while ultra-poor was the term used for those earning less than $400 a month. Other findings in the report were that the unemployment rate among Blacks stood at 38 percent, compared to the four percent among whites. Unemployment among was at 21 percent and among Indians 11 percent. "This report will help the government of national unity in assessing priorities", Mr. Naidoo said. "Job creation remains the single most important task". The report said about 61 percent of South African children lived in poverty. "Poverty among children has a huge impact on a whole range of important factors that will have an influence on the future of this country", Mr. Naidoo said. Children under 16 made up about 38 percent of the population, 45 percent of the country's poor were children, and more than 70 percent of Black children were poverty-stricken, Mr. Naidoo said. IZ the King. He is supposed to choose one of them for a wife. That ceremony only shows how backward the tradition still is. The political system is equally backward. No political parties are allowed. In the last general elections, aspiring politicians only ran as individuals in their constituencies. All executive power is vested in the King. However, the King has a powerful team of advisers who include tribal Chiefs and Headmen, Councillors, and his mother, "IndhlovuKazi". The "Indhlovu-Kazi" has a place of high honour and respect in Swazi tradition. On some issues her opinions must be taken into account by the King. Faced by the growing pressure for democracy, the King sought advice from President Mugabe, President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, and President Q. Masire of Botswana.' At their meeting in Pretoria last month, the three elder statesmen are reported to have advised the King to open up the system to democratic participation. The same three leaders had mediated in the dispute in Lesotho. Although the King is still a powerful figure there too, executive power has been ceded to a Prime Minister. Swaziland's economy is heavily dependent on South Africa. Many Swazis work in South Africa. But it has a strong economy based on tourism, sugar plantations, and some mining. 0 ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4 Poverty in South Africa too )

"Democracy: The Challenge of Change" By Frederick J.T Chiluba resident Frederick Chiluba has earned my congratulations for obtaining a Master's degree. It's a good and enlightening thing that the fruits of his educational labours have been availed in book form. The book reveals the author's state of knowledge and values and this is not of disinterest to concerned citizens of the country he seeks to continue to be President of. My review of the book could be if interest to other citizens who may or may not yet have read this recommendable, if not always agreeable book. In this preliminary review, I pose one question: What is John Locke to the writer, President Frederick Chiluba of Zambia? 'The rule of law' Frederick Chiluba, in his book, makes five very fond and supportive references to the 17th Century British philosopher, John Locke. he credits him with writing; based on "christian principles" and evincing a respect for the rights of the individual. "He says that Locke's writings are based on "the rule of law" and the doctrine that "the consent of the people is the only legitimate justification of political power". (pp 4- 5) Reference is also made to John Locke for support for Chiluba's great concern that "there must be new emphasis on the need to establish distinct standard rules for people to observe and follow and to strengthen the capacity of institutions to uphold and sustain democratic governance. In addition, the political culture of people should be so predictable as to reduce consequences of action on part of both the elected and the electors". (p 118) The basic idea, which Chiluba seeks to push with the aid of "the foundation text set by John Locke", is that it is an absolute must that it should be dearly known who the boss is. This explains Chiluba's belated, but persistently expressed, fear of the bogeyman of anarchy. In this regard, Chiluba quotes Locke's statement that "If this were not so, there would be no distinction between pirate and lawful prince ... men. . . might... change their governors as they do physicians, if the person cannot be known who has a right to direct me, and whose prescription I am bound to follow." (p1 18) 'Turns to economic rights' When Chiluba turns from political power to economic rights, he does not abandon his safety blanket John Locke. Chiluba testifies to this complete turn from the social democracy of his early union days to a right wing conservative economics of the Thatchers of the Britain and Europe of two decades ago that is presently on a fast retreat. He regresses even further by basing the book not so much on the Zambian experience or the real experience of any other country. His reference base is John Lockie's thoughts of three centuries ago. It is on this basis Chiluba concludes that: "Finally not only, is it not necessary to destroy the rich in order to help the poor, but there is the overriding fact that individuals are entitled to enjoy the fruits of thier labour in the form of a right to property ownership. This is one of the fundamental truths spelt out by John Locke, who demonstrated the religious foundations for an ethic of hard work to put God-given resources to productive use". (p 136) Chiluba proceeds to say that Locke laid down conditions "for acquisition of individual property rights through maximising one's labour, namely there must as much and as good left over for others" Chiluba expresses the view that in many parts of Zambia there is "abundant unused cultivatable land," which he thinks is available to be grabbed for private individual ownership without anybody else being denied anything. This is obviously the un-African and anti- majority centred philosophical basis for the imposition of a Land Reform Act of Parliament that is geared to allow the rich to grab people's land and enjoy the fruits of thier ill-gotten wealth. Such ideas and policies can be expected of persons who do not have intimate living experience of the real Africa. They can be expected from people who do not have to be socially sensitive to the poverty- stricken rural and jobless people of Zambia. It certainly can be expected of European reactionary philosophers and slave trade profiteers, like John. Locke, to feast on such anti-human development notions. 'The black diaspora' In his latest book, The Black Diaspora, South African Ronald Segal observes that: "In the period 1701 -1810, British ships transported an estimated 2 467 000 slaves from Africa... The early trade was conducted by the Royal African Company, invested with a monopoly in 1672 . . . Among the many shareholders was John Locke, the most influential philosopher of the age, not least for his arguments in favour of liberty. The Glorious Revolution of 1688, which put an end to the reign of James 11, put an end as well to the company's monopoly. It became the right of every free born citizen to trade in slaves. Confirming the argument for free trade at least, British imports from the United States, mainly slave produced cotton, rose in value from $9 million in 1792 to $31 million in 1801." (p22, 24) It is brutally enslaved Africans whom John Locke includes as property to be enjoyed, as a matter of the individual rights of racist thugs and inhuman capitalists. It is this man, whom Frederick Chiluba referred to as the author of "writings, founded on 'Christian principles!" (p 4). This is the John Locke who has, through good old neo-colonial tailored education, gained complete influence over the man who is presiding over Zimbia's national international affairs in 1996. This is three decades after formal independence, and nearly three centuries after Locke's death. The book by a man who wants to lead this nation into the 21 st Century should be read. It is recommended reading for all who can, and who need to know about the man, his thinking and who is influencing the policies of the present ruling party and government. As far as Christianity is concerned, I suspect that my status is somewhere between pre- conception and pre-natal. I am not in a position to say just how Christian these backward ideas are. But, I find it questionable that Christian principles can be a foundation for justifying the dehumanisation of slavery and the social injustice of naked capitalism or socially insensitive structural adjustment. But as far as the study of European politics, philosophy, economics and history is concerned, I am in a position to say that President Frederick Chiluba made a necessary decision to continue with his education. Given his misguided attachment to the ideas of slave trade profiteer John Locke, he should continue with his studies. I am looking forward to his next book, this time from his doctorial studies. i By Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanka, Secretary-General of the National Party of Zambia. This review was first published in The Post a Lusaka newspaper in Zambia. ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 27 NO. 4 I Book Reviev

The People's Voice Subscription Form (Please Tick a box to select your term) Zimbabwe o 52 issues (1 year) $62.25 o 26 issues (6 months) $32.00 Regional o 52 issues (1 year) US$75.00 o 26 issues (6 months) US$35.00 Overseas (Europe) o 52 issues US$99.00 o 26 issues (6 months) USO.00 N am e:...... (Pease Print) A ddress: ...... sells S ignature:,. ,,,,,..,,,...... ,,,,.... ,,,...... u. u.., , ., ,.,,, THE RATES INCLUDE POSTAGE AND HANDLING I enclose my cheque o Postal Order o for the amount indicated above Mail to: The Circulation Manager, The People's Voice 144 Union Ave., Harare, Tel: 79014819

There are no birds of our feather Because we offer the truly definitive example of the printer's art. The total job: typesetting, origination, printing and binding - utilising the latest technology and completed to the highest international standards. Our very competitive prices will also give you something to crow about JONGWE PRINTING & PUBLISHING CO. (PVT.) LTD. 14 Austin Road, Workington, Harare Telephone 664749, 668428, 668431 I TJ 0 NG WEI