The Real Change Times Movement for Democratic Change a Party of Excellence! the Official Mouthpiece of the MDC
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Iz qula enzo u I G ze o n ir z it o a G M u q a j u n l i a h C C h o i r n i t j i a a M M a a i j t i n r i o h C The Real Change Times Movement for Democratic Change A Party of Excellence! The Official Mouthpiece of the MDC Monday 15 August MDC Information & Publicity Department, Harvest House, 44 Nelson Mandela Ave, Harare, Zimbabwe Issue 081 2011 SADC must stop the army President Tsvangirai, expects this Matabeleland and Midlands provinces “The agreement in the GPA is that these week’s SADC Summit in Luanda, Gukurahundi massacres and featured are national institutions but we have Angola to decisively deal with the prominently as the major culprits during now over the last two years learnt that issue of Zimbabwe and come up with the tortures and murders of the 2008 some of the members in the military do a position on the role of the military election. This, President Tsvangirai not respect the authority of the inclusive following threats to destabilise the said has led to the calls by the MDC government. country by some rogue elements of the and other democratic alliances for the security sector. re-alignment of the security sector in “They are still partisan and re-alignment Zimbabwe. of the security sector is important so President Tsvangirai told The Real that they play a non-partisan role.,” he Change Times in an exclusive interview “We are not seeking the overthrow aaid. that some few misguided elements off our security agencies but their re- among the security establishment alignment so that they reflect the new “We are not dismantling the security have taken a political position dispensation by being non-partisan,” sector but we want re-alignment so making unconstitutional statements the President said. that they contribute to a democratic that undermine the Global Political dispensation. Agreement (GPA) which is the backbone “The re-alignment of the security for the transitional Government. establishment is important given “But over the last two years we have the recent comments made by some been drifting away from that principle The military has in the past delved individuals among the military which and therefore it has become fundamental in politics with some individuals literally undermine the whole effort and that this issue should be part of the such as Brigadier General Douglas transition that we have been working reforms we are pursuing,”added the President Tsvangirai Nyikayaramba threatening to disregard towards. Premier. ensure that we resolve these problems broadcasters despite an agreement by the will of the people in the likely event once and for all. the negotiators and the Principals. that President Tsvangirai wins the “SADC should be alarmed by these The President said SADC should pending elections. comments because they run counter to discuss and take a position on the “We have become an embarassment The Ministry of Media, Information the expectations of a roadmap that will roadmap to a free and fair election that because we cannot respect our own and Publicity has refused to allow Nyikayaramba has annointed himself lead to credible elections,” he said. has been agreed by the parties. signatures. We cannot even implement private players in the broadcasting spokesperson for those who are keen what we have agreed and the guarantors sector, leaving the partisan Zimbabwe to see Zimbabwe dragged back to the “SADC must come up with a position “There are still some serious have to assist us, especially those who Broadcasting Corporation with precipice and to the Stone Age where on the role of the military because it disagreements, but the region should have shown intransigence in respecting the broadcasting monopoly in the only the few rich immoral hoodlums would appear that some in the military at least adopt the roadmap so that the GPA,” said President Tsvangirai. broadcasting sector. connected to politicians illegally benefit in Zimbabwe have adopted a political the agreed areas can begin to be from illicit deals. position which is contrary to the spirit implemented,” he said. He urged SADC to urgently deploy Arbitrary arrests, intimidation and of democracy. monitors to assist the Joint Monitoring murder of opposition, civic society The army has in the last few years President Tsvangirai paid tribute to and Implementation Committee activists and journalists continues become a very key instrument in “But it is not the whole institution that is the facilitator, South Africa President (JOMIC) as resolved at both the despite the resolutions of the the intimidation and state sponsored acting unconstitutionally because I am Jacob Zuma and SADC, for remaining Livingstone and Sandton SADC Livingstone Troika summit which said violence against the people. very certain that the majority of serving seized with the issue of Zimbabwe. summits. all these must be stopped forthwith. army officers do not go along with some Military personnel have been fingered of the opinions that have so far been “We have become a perennial agenda Zanu PF has further stalled media in the gruesome murders in the expressed,” President Tsvangirai said. item on SADC summits and we have to reforms by refusing to licence private Zanu PF senators block POSA Amendment Bill Delivering his speech in the Senate, Hon. GPA negotiators as part of the Election House of Assembly with the co-operation people of Zimbabwe loudly said that they Gonese pointed out that the Bill had been Roadmap and that further debate might of Zanu PF members. don’t want the draconian Posa and want passed by the House of Assembly with undermine the inclusive government. it removed. co-operation of members from all parties; If there was an objection to the introduction denied any intention to usurp the powers Chinamasa moved that the debate be of a Private Member’s Bill, that could The amendments to Posa seek to limit of the Executive by introducing a Private adjourned. have been raised at the beginning of the the police power to authorise political Member’s Bill; and that the Bill was Bill’s journey or at any time since. gatherings and meetings. furthering Articles 12 and 13 of the Global But, the Senate then adjourned until 30 Political Agreement (GPA). August and a new session of Parliament The Bill was gazetted on 11 December The proposed Posa changes would limit will probably be opened before that date, 2009, went through Portfolio Committee the power of the police to bar political Those Articles deal with freedom of meaning that the Bill will lapse. meetings and public hearings through out gatherings and public meetings. assembly and the need for law enforcement the country, was in the Lower House for a agencies to be impartial. Hon. Gonese’s marathon, which began year and has been on the Senate’s Order Under the amendments proposed by in November 2009 when the House Paper since December 2010. Clause 6 of the Bill, the powers to prohibit Hon. Gonese is the MDC chief whip and of Assembly gave him permission to public gathering will no longer be vested MP for Mutare Central. introduce his Bill – unopposed by Zanu Therefore, the Zanu PF senators’ claims to in the police but the magistrates’ courts, PF MPs – has been brought to a halt on need further time for “research” ring very and a court order would be required to Zanu PF Senators questioned the need for the last lap. hollow. stop such meetings. the Bill and said more time was needed for “research”, and the debate was adjourned This is probably the end of the Bill – after The end of the Session has given Zanu The Bill further seeks to ensure that to 3 August. these developments it seems unlikely that PF a convenient procedural method of public gatherings are regulated in a Hon. Innocent Gonese the Bill will be revived in the next session, stopping the Bill without incurring the manner that will allow Zimbabweans Eight months after the Public Order and On 3 August, Justice Minister Patrick unless all three parties agree to do so odium of having to vote against what are to fully exercise their fundamental Security Act Amendment Bill was passed Chinamasa, the Zanu PF’s chief GPA following further negotiations. really very mild compromise amendments democratic right to engage and to express by Hon. Innocent Gonese in the House negotiator, objected to the Bill being to a piece of legislation that many want to themselves through the medium of of Assembly as a Private Member’s brought before the Senate at all, saying This blocking of the Bill suggests a change see repealed altogether. peaceful assembly and association. Public Order, the Amendment Bill was that the amendment of POSA was of heart by Zanu PF since December last introduced in the Senate on 2 August. a matter under consideration by the year, when the Bill was approved by the During the public hearings last year, the Together, united, winning, voting for real change! 1 MDC offices to remain open Implement GPA in full The MDC Manicalaland province has said it will defy an order from The MDC has raised complaints over of ZEC is that there is need for fresh corruption Commission, enactment of the done usually by violence intimidation Chimanimani Rural District Council to the insincerity of Zanu PF in fully recruitment by the new Commission to Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and other acts of political subterfuge. close party offices in the area. implementing the Global Political ensure that the body is independent. Bill and amending of Section 121 of the Zimbabwe is a country that is afflicted Agreement.