J PF J PF Unity, Peace und Dlo.pment Official Organ of ZANU PF and PublicitY. 144 U IinAven.... I .....Tel: 790144 DFCEMBER 1997 Vou .o..... I,. W7. Regtere. , t teI , P as ao N ,, $2.50 (in l. sales tax) Ifilling the people's wishes SERIALS a d n d wvirestore people's wealth and dignity Zimbabwe News Official Organ of ZANU PF Contents Comment: Cover Story: National News: Conference Special: Feature Africa File: I write as I like: International News: Obituaries: Fulfilling people's wishes ....................................... ............. Economic diffuculties temporary ........................ Self criticism recipe for discipline, unity ................................. Housing for all by the year 2010 ............................ Indigenisation not-an easy task ............................................. R esolutions ..................................................................... Frank debate not a challenge to ZANU PF leadership ................ The state of the party ................................... Genocide haunts survivors .................................................. Disarmament talks in Freetown ............................................ H ighlights of 1997 ............................................................ Calls to reform the house of Windsor .................................... Peace process takes step forward .......................................... Intifada disillusioned but not dead ......................................... Richard Katsande ....................................................... I ...... Chief Edgar Musik~vanhu .................................................... Enock Sibanda, Fred Moyo ................................................. Amos John Chirunda (1949-1997) ......................................... 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 15 15 1719202122222223 IL J1II 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, Workington, Harare. World Copyright.Central Committee (ZANU PF) Editorial Council: Cde. N.M. Shamuyarira, Cde. C.C. Chimutengwende, Cde. C. Ndhlovu, Cde. S. Kachingwe, Cde.A. Sikhosana. Cc,. M. Munyati. ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 28 NO. 9 C )IMM, Fulfilling the people's wishes The acquisition of over 1 400 commercial farms by the ZANU PF Government for purposes of resettling themany landless indigenous populace, the awarding of gratuities and monthly pensions to war veterans and an accelerated black economic empowerment programme were part of the highlights of 1997. Land designation and the subsequent gazetting of the thousands of farms earmarked-for acquisition brought much relief to the millions of landless blacks who have been clamouring for the return of their ancestral land. The move also reaffirmed ZANU PF's determination to fulfil the wishes of the masses as the nation struggles for economic independence. War veterans were, in recognition of their selfless contribution towards the attainment of national independence, awarded lumpsum gratuities and monthly pensions of $50 000 and $2 000, respectively by the ZANU PF government. This move, while further stretching the already burdened treasury, was widely welcomed by the people who had challenged the leadership to look after those who helped free the country from the colonial yoke. During the same year, comrades George Marange and Steven Vuma, revolutionary fighters of long standing, passed away and were duly declared national heroes. There were other cadres as well; comrades Edmund Garwe, Andrew Jiri, Joseph Kaparadza and Peter Musende, to name but a few, who passed away in 1997. The Party, however, continued with its various programmes such as restructuring and registration of members. Calls have been made, nonetheless, for these exercises to be speeded up as we continue to consolidate the Party in terms of mass mobilisation for economic development - this year's theme at the Third National People's Conference held in December, in Mutare. On the economic front, some parastatals and quasi-government businesses such as Dairibord, Cottco, and the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe wele commercialised and privatised. Emphasis was placed on bringing aboard blacks - employees, entrepreneurs and the citizenry as majority stakeholders. However, South Africa's biased trade with Zimbabwe adversely affected the domestic economy. Efforts are, however, underway to reshape and normalise trade between the two SADC member states. HIVAIDS also emerged as a serious-issue of concern during the year. The government, has all the same, promised to continue working with the private sector, non-governmental organisations and other interested parties in the campaign against the spread of the deadly virus. The ZANU PF government also made an undertaking during the year to adopt a quota system in its efforts aimed at empowering women in both political and economic fields. Last but not least, the Party celebrated 10 years of unity between former (PF) ZAPU and ZANU (PF). The December 221987 Unity Accord has brought with it innumerable benefits to the nation. Most important of these is the peace Zimbabwe continues to enjoy, upon which we have launched the second phase of our total liberation - the struggle for economic independence. Given the Party's commitment to fulfilling the wishes of the people as witnessed during the year under review, Zimbabwe can, and will certainly triumph against the challenges that lie ahead. 2 ZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 28 NO. 9 Cove Str ing people's wishes .restore people's wealth and dignity By Z nyka Kambizi resident Robert Gabriel Mugabe's ZANU PF Government has designated 1 480 farms in terms of the ,Lanl Acquisition Act for purposes resetlng several thousands of the laid less indigenous population who for year were condemned to arid an' parts of their own country by successive white settler regimes. What now needs to be done, Cd. Mugabe told an ordinary session of the Central Committee in Mutare on Deco* ber 4, is to focus properly on how d land should be distrited and manapd without any decrease in productim That increased production and prodmtivity in agriculture should be to watchword. He told-the meeting: "We have learrt from our mistakes, and we must continue to do so in order to attain high levels of achievement. The many new tasks that we are facing are great challenges indeed, but we can never tackle them successfully unless we begin by taking stock of ourselves andeffecting remedial measures." Addressing delegates to the Third National people's Conference dubbed Mass A4obilisation for Economic Development, Cde. Mugabe said the decision to take land to the people was taken at the previous conference in Bulawayo. "It tasked those of us in leadership to take all the measures necessary to effect this important resolution arrived at after recognising that land was the principal grievance of our people as they battled, suffered, and died under settler colonialism and its iniquitous suppressive, oppressive,and repressive institutions. As a result, he said, a number of structures and measures were established and taken respectively to ensure that that goal was effected. The original adZIMBABWE NEWS VOL. 28 NO. 9 Natioa Party Cibeb Ch. I adduw lntg Mesaw t th caz mw noc Land Acquisition Committee headed by the National Chairman of the Party, Cde. Joseph Msika, he said, was expanded and upgraded to a National Committee comprising comrades John Nkomo and Kumbirai Kangai who head the Ministries of Local Government and National Housing, and, Land and Agriculture respectively. The National Land Acquisition Committee was supported by Provincial Land Acquisition Committees throughout the eight administrative provinces whose membership included Governors and Resident Ministers, Chiefs, provincial party leadership, War Veterans and government officials manning all the implementing agencies. Explaining the criteria used to identify and acquire land, Cde. Mugabe observed that land was the people's sovereign asset. Their home, economic resource, and social and cultural asset, their religious shrine, their heritage and very livelihood. "They are born on it, live and die on it, and get buried on it. It enshrines our genealogy and ancestry." The land acquired was derelic or undeiktilised, owned by absentee landlords, belonging to commercial farmers and or companies with more than one property/farm (multiple ownership), oversized farms exceeding 1 500 hectares in regions one and two and, land adjacent to communal areas and thus deserving repossession for reasons of maintaining traditional and cultural cohesion of the people. Noting that at the end of the exercise, everyone who desires to work on land will have a reasonable piece to do so, both black and white, in a manner that is equitable and socially just, Cde: Mugabe emphasised that the 4 million hectares acquired were not enough. As such, he said the land identification * Continued on next page 3 Fulfilling people's wishes *Continued from previous page process will continue until there was satisfaction that the people had enough. Cde. Mugabe told delegates that when he met with the British Labour Primier, Tony Blair, he did not beg him for assistance on the land programme but wanted to draw his attention to the Lancaster House discussion of the land question and the commitment by Britain. "Land was acquired through colonial settler robbery in the name of the Royal Charter signed by Queen