*-Zimbabwe News *-Zimbabwe News ' Official Organ of ZANU PF Department of lnformdtion and Publicity, 14 Austion Road 7 0 ic.s lstax) Unity. Peae and Development~ Volume 24, No. 1 1993, Registered at the G.P.O. as a Newspaper sae e tc 44.. -Al . 4; 4o 1 iu "Sl"Saai ea. 1' IK LEYLAJJDK Suppliers of Comet Trucks, Parts and Service Leyland (Zimbabwe) Limited Watts Road Southerton Phone: 67861 Telex: 26387 ZW Editorial Letters Cover Story Local News Aids Feature International News Music Sport I Poetry Contents AF-12: ......°.°°.°** ...... ...................... :,° ....° *°° . .*................. °* . ...°*** 2 ........... *°°°*°°°*° .............................. 3 President's road to Holy Cross Peace Prize .......... .......... 4 Care International joins feeding scheme ................................... 6 Ministry rules on retrenchees ................................................. 7 Councillors worry chiefs ......................................................... 7 Army worm under control ..................................................... 7 Chiundu villagers in dilemma over relief supplies ............... 7 Destitutes fed in Zvishavane .............. ................................... 8 Aids mutoro wemunhu wese ................................................... 10 I-Aids ngumthwalo wabantu bonke ........................................ 12 Africa fights bitter war against marginalisation .......................... 14 World passive on peace in Southern Africa ............................... 18 United Nations criticised ........................................................ 21 Astro-Guide ........................................................................ 21 What is America up to in Iraq .............................................. 22 Police arrest Mafia godfather ................................................... 23 Mozambique to destroy land mines ..................................... ; .... 24 NATOdivided over Yugoslavia ............................................ 24 Cuba set to become world medical power .................... 26 PANA pins hope on UNESCO plan ......................................... 26 Save rhino meet ................................................................ 27 UN Agencies protest cuts in development funds ....................... 28 Dance group back from overseas tour .................................... 2S Africa slowly becoming athletics powerhouse .............................. R 1992 worst year in boxing .................................................... 31 Zimbabwe shock the mighty Egyptians ........................ 3 Abortion ...................................................................... 3 Zimbabwe News is the official Organ of the Zimbabwe African National Union IZANU PFI and is produced on the authority of the Central Committee by the Department of Information and Publicity, Jongwe Printing and Publishing Co., No. 14 Austin Road, Workington, Harare. World Copyright, Central Committee IZANU PFI. Editorial Council: Cde. N.M. Shamuyarira Cde. C.C. Chimutengwende -de. C. Ndhlovu Cde. S. Kachingwe Cde. A. Sikhosana Cde. M. Munyati. ZIMBABWE NEWS JANUARY, 1993 Zimbabwe News Official Organ of ZANU PF Editorial Coming of age IT is only in the last twelve years that the nation of Zimbabwe has come into being. It was a twelve years filled with all the elements of a fledgeing nation. Whilst the birth pangs, in the form of the armed'struggle were painful, the result - independence - was welcome and sweet. The first few years were indeed pleasant as former colonial subjects took their destiny into their own hands and for the first time became active participants in shaping the nation's fortunes. This assumption of destiny was not without a price, as we soon came to realise. We had inherited a system designed for the benefit of a few at the expense of the broad majority. Transforming it into an economy that would benefit the indegens, vana vevhu, was to prove not only difficult but fraught with dangers that threaten to throw us back into' the clutches of the erstwhile colonial master. The independence government nonetheless grabbed the bull by the horns and channelled resources at their disposal to benefit the masses - rural roads, schools, hospitals and dams; viable local government infrastructures, financial assistance for peasant agriculture, and so on and so forth. This investment was however in areas not directly related to production. As would be expected it soon began to have debilitating effect on the economy requiring urgent attention. Enter the economic reform... Economic reform was premised on the need to reform, revitalise and dynamise the economy - The nation had somehow to create more wealth and more jobs in order for us to pay for rural and other forms of development designed to redress the gaping and unjust imbalances of a century of colonial oppression. A few short months into economic reform disaster struck - The worst drought in living memory. Once again finances geared to capital development and direct production had to be diverted to feed the people. The combination of the expected effects of reform and the unexpected drought dealt a telling blow to the populace. Whilst government was putting in gear the infrastructure for drought relief many of our people went hungry, even starving. In a short time however everything was in place, and today whilst it is not all a bed fo roses, cases of starvation are virtually non-existent. As a result of this unexpected diversion of funds, economic reform suffered. There has not been adequate levels of employment creation, money supply has been adversely affected, visiting more hardships on commerce and industry and ultimately on the ordinary Zimbabwean. What impact have these economic developments had politically? As the combihed effects of economic reform and the drought began to erode the standard of life of the people, the ZANU PF government and its role came into sharp focus. Whilst ordinary Zimbabweans looked to it for a way out of the morass of hunger and poverty, certain elements from the urban elite saw this as an opportunity to pour criticism on the government in a bid to grab political power. Similarly, discredited politicians whose hands are reeking with the blood of innocent Zimbabweans have takenfull advantage of the policy of reconciliation and the democracy in Zimbabwe to crawl out of the woodwork. Political parties, most of whom have neither a political agenda nor any following have begun to mushroom. Voices whose dissent is, more often than not, unclear, have begun to emerge as at the The Tower of Barbel. These developments coincided with the demise of the socialist camp and the end of the cold war which allowed the US to devote more time to their post cold war mission - the "democratisation" of the world, particularly the developing world, where all too often dictators and their juntas abound. The local urban-elite-opportunists have taken advantage of this to orchestrate a most diabolic and unwarranted assault on ZANU PF and its government. Their attacks have generally been echoed in the "new press" which emerged at about the same time under the misnomer - independent press. Time will tell how independent they are. In the meantime, their vitriolic attack of ZANU PF and their timing and tactics make them a de facto opposition press and an important cog in the opposition machinery ranged against ZANU PF. As we enter 1993, this is the scenario: The ZANU PF government attempting against gigantic odds to fulfil Its mission and its mandate of improving the people's lives, and opportunities and chancers attempting to ride to power on the wave of the nation's misfortunes. ZIMBABWE NEWS JANUARY, 1993 ESAP not wholly to blame Dear Editor Most economic problems facing Zimbabweans especially price increases, have been blamed on the economic structurMl adjustment programme. There is little reference being made to the devastating effects of the drought, Although there are economic difficulties Editor, I write this letter to urge Minister Witness Mangwende who is responsible tor sports to cheer the national soccer team each time it arrives from its triumphant matches outside the country. He can also 'accompany it to the airport to boost the youngmen's morale - the President entertained our squad before we played South Africa's "Abafana", why can,t he do the same? Why should Minister Mangwende wait for home-matches ... is it just to shake hands with the players and the love to watch the "invincible warriors" in action ... if it is the former, then he can do. it at the airport as well. Please Minister Mangwende, cheer up the warriors, just a good bye at the airport will make them stronger. and a welcome handshake at the airport will definitely make them feel their worth. Hope things will change. Soccer fan Razorman HARARE The Management and Staff of Jongwe Printers would like to join the Nation in Commemoration of the First Lady Amai Sally Mugabe which have been caused by ESAP, the drought has worsened the situation as the country has to import almost all essential foodstuffs. The government has therefore had to pay for transporting the commodities, storage in some ports and tariffs. soared due to the high cost of importation. Zimbabweans should bear in mind that no one is responsible for the drought. Instead of pointing fingers at each other, we should pull our efforts together and try to tackle the problems facing the nation. When the commodities go on the local Joshua Nyamunyika market, their prices would already