Brexit: Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn response letter to Prime Minister Theresa May (18.01.2019)

Zimbabwe: The Republic is burning… Part II

Bulawayo Jan 2019

It is bad  that the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) since the Stay Away or Shutdown demonstrations has started using methods known by former President Robert Mugabe. All these methods have been seen before, the ZANU-PF has been known for it, but the supposed reforms of the President Mnangagwa is not appearing. Instead, the violence is persisting and the authorities are trying to keep it under-wraps with having a internet blockade and block Social Media. However, some information are coming through and the sinister acts are exposed. 

Today on the 19th January 2018, it has been utter chaos, anarchy and military in the streets. As the civilians have ceased their rights, as the soldiers have put up road-blocks, dispensations of barracks in the metropolitan areas and activists has been arrested. If they been successful in hiding, the authorities has in some respects even taken parents and loved ones of the high ranking activists. This has been reported. As well as rising numbers of people who are being shot, wounded and killed by the authorities. The numbers are rising and hard to verify. However, it is happening and shouldn’t be forgotten in it all.

Some people are claiming the Closeg Fraction, the one run by Gen. Constantino Chiwenga, the Vice-President and former Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Force (ZDF) before the November 2017 coup d’etat. Now, today, there are speculation that Chiwenga is using the last few days to take more control under the pretext, that the President is away on Foreign Trips. So, that he can posses more power, as the Lacoste and President is away in Eastern Europe and smiling in Davos, Switzerland.

However, that are darkness on the horizon, as people are tortured, arrested and even killed. There are several high ranking leaders arrested within the last 2 days. Like Doug Mahiya (brother of Crisis Coalition of Zimbabwe), Pastor Evan Mawarire (This Flag Movement) and Obert Masaraure the President of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), also unknown whereabouts of President of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) Peter Mutasa.

If, President Emmerson Mnangagwa thinks these moves are smart. As the people are suffering, not only the effects of the fuel prices, hyper-inflation and other measures. The rising prices of commodities, the state is clearly in pro-military dictatorship. Where the military has all say, there the civil liberties are taken away and the voices against it is detained. That seems evident by the last few days. That is why the road-blocks, soldiers in the streets and other measures showing that they mean business of it.

This could be a plan from Cosleg. The group of Chiwenga, who wants to prove a point because they know how successful the November 2017 coup d’Etat was. Now they want to overturn and control it even further, even as the state are acting with direct violence and killing civilians. Going house to house, beating people and showing all disregard for their duty to secure the peace, not create the peace for the territory. That is evident of the days after new fuel prices was put forward.

If the ZANU-PF, the President and VP, thinks this is the way to settle the score and make the International Community in lifting sanctions or even trying to get closer in general. As opening the Republic up for business or trust.

This is closing this and ensuring people to not trust the regime nor how they keep within the bounds of the rights for the citizens. That is the evidence, as the innocent citizens are suffering. Also, the public are taken hostage by a military dictatorship, who uses all force against them. Peace.

The 200 Shillings of Doom: Tumwebaze mixed messages concerning the Social Media Tax!

We knew that the statements of 2018, as the loyal ICT Minister Frank Tumwebaze hadn’t done his due diligence, as the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) issued a Social Media Tax last year after President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni wrote a letter to the Ministry of Finance asking for the opportunity to tax this.

That has no been done over the last few months, but as the realization of the effects are coming. The forewarning of CSBAG and others wasn’t listen to. I wrote that it lacked due diligence of the tax in June 2018 and today. As I open Daily Monitor and seeing that Frankie Boy has changed his ways. He has opened his eyes and seeing what some of us saw all along. As the cost of content, the cost of using social media and that this has ensured that it is less viable. Since, its the elites who can use it, but the lower level civil servants cannot afford to be online. That was natural, that the 200 shillings per day would be taken directly of the plate and also evaporate funds for investment within the Republic. It is a negative tax, and therefore, naturally have reverse effect, than what the state promised when they levied it.

Tumwebaze statement in July 2018:

When Ministry of Finance is borrowing, we, the Parliament and civil society are grilling them for borrowing. But when we say this is a sector that has grown in the economy so let’s get a bit of it, let’s get Shs. 6,000 from every holder of a smartphone consuming OTTs, what production capacity will it stifle?” (…) “Is USD 1,4 too much for a citizen to contribute to tax yet you have money to buy a smartphone, minimumly at Shs. 300,000 that is data enabled, and you load bundles of over shs. 30,000? Logically it doesn’t make sense” (Frank Tumwebaze, 17.07.2018).

Tumwebaze statemetn in January 2019:

The committee chaired by Annet Nyakecho said Over The Top tax seems to negatively affect the consumption of ICT services and products. In response, ICT Minister, Mr Frank Tumwebaze admitted that the tax is has had adverse effects on the sector. He said they were “hoodwinked” by their counterparts in the Finance Ministry that the introduction of the tax on the basis that it would widen the country’s revenue base” (Ssebuliba, 2019).

ICT Minister Tumwebaze was so positive and thinking this was the future. This was how to widen the tax-base, but instead. It has as expected made the usage of Social Media expensive. Which means also there is lack of funds for the ones operating within the Social Media and making Online Businesses. This is both happening because of the hard hitting taxes on Social Media, but also the Mobile Money Tax. Both taxes has both the Mobile Money Industry and the ICT development, as they are both having less activity and less usage. Which is natural, when the costs are going up.

The ICT Minister should have known this before speaking so warm about it. Any tax are taking money out of the system. The 200 shillings of doom is clear. The state could have listen to the advice, but didn’t open the ears to it.

In June 30 2018, Daily Monitor reported this: “Civil society organisations have accused the government of trying to stifle debate online with this tax, while others like the Civil society Budget Advocacy group CSBAG, say the tax will have a negative impact on a business.” (Hinamundi, 2018).

So, if the ICT Minister Tumwebaze could have known and stopped this. They could have done the right thing and not continued this path. Instead they have hurt the industry, because they are all blindly following the orders of the President. That is what the state did and they levied the 200 shillings of doom, as it was anticipated by anyone else. Than, the authorities itself. Peace.

Reference:

Samuel Ssebuliba – ‘Parliament orders assessment on impact of social media tax’ 18.01.2019, link: https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Parliament-orders-assessment-impact-social-media-tax/688334-4940312-rph8g3z/index.html

Collins Hinamundi – ‘How government will collect the new social media tax’ 30.07.2018, link: https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/How-government-will-collect-new-social-media-tax/688334-4639596-juy8n3z/index.html

Brexit: Prime Minister Theresa May letter to Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn (17.01.2019)

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ravina Shamdasani on Zimbabwe (18.01.2019)

Reports suggest that protesters burned tyres, used rocks to barricade roads, and blocked buses from taking passengers to work.

GENEVA, Switzerland, January 18, 2019 – We are deeply troubled by the socio-economic crisis that is unfolding in Zimbabwe and the repression of large scale protests in the country, following the Government’s decision to increase fuel prices. We call on the Government to find ways of engaging with the population about their legitimate grievances and to stop the crackdown against protestors.

We are concerned about reports of the excessive use of force, including live ammunition, by Zimbabwean security forces during protests which started on Monday this week. People took to the streets to protest against economic austerity measures and the rise of fuel prices, which affect their already impoverished households and businesses, and limit access to basic goods and services.

Reports suggest that protesters burned tyres, used rocks to barricade roads, and blocked buses from taking passengers to work. A number of buildings were also set on fire and there were reports of looting. Police responded with force, apparently including the use of live ammunition.There are credible reports of a number of deaths – including of a police officer – and many more injured, as well as hundreds of arrests in relation to the protests.

There are also worrying allegations of generalised intimidation and harassment by security forces carrying out door-to-door searches. The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission has also received allegations of police beatings. According to official figures presented by the Minister of National Security, more than 600 people have been arrested countrywide. Among those detained are opposition leaders and prominent civil activists. We are also concerned that Internet services have been severely disrupted in the last few days.

We support the call of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission for the Government to set up a national dialogue, with wide participation of all sectors, to find solutions to the economic challenges the country is facing. We urge the Government to work with the support of the international community to ease the current crisis.

We call on the Government ensure that security forces handle protests and exercise their power – especially the use of firearms and live ammunition – strictly in accordance with the country’s international human rights obligations and the relevant principles, including legality, necessity, proportionality, precaution and accountability.* State authorities have a duty to ensure people’s rights to freedom of expression, and to facilitate and protect the right to peaceful assembly. It is essential that all sides, including the protestors, refrain from the use of violence and seek to resolve the situation peacefully.

We call on the Government to carry out investigations into all reports of violence, including the alleged excessive use of force by security forces in a prompt, thorough and transparent manner, with a view to accountability.

All those detained for the exercise of their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression should be promptly released.

Zimbabwe: The Republic is burning…

We should certainly know by now that it is one thing to overthrow a dictator or repel an invader and quite another thing really to achieve a revolution. Time and time and time again, the people discover that they have merely betrayed themselves into the hands of yet another Pharaoh who, since he was necessary to put the broken country together, will not let them go.”James Baldwin

Today, yet another where the Internet is blocked. Social Media is blocked. This is done after orders from above high. However, that isn’t the worse, that the state has put its tech savvy citizens on VPN. No, what is worse is the state of affairs in Zimbabwe.

The former Henchmen of Robert Mugabe is now acting all out. While President Emmerson Mnangagwa just opened the internet up for a few hours yesterday, because he couldn’t leave Russia without paying the company flying his luxury private yet. That is why the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe was ordered to open the internet for that transaction alone. While, the same state, had no issues shutting it down again when the transaction was done.

This just show how sinister and without any concern they are. There are already reports of several hundred arrested up to 600. Many of the high ranking in Movement for Democratic Change – Alliance has been apprehended. Several activists have been put behind bars. The leaders of Unions has been taken and not been since in the last few days. After the announcement of the Shutdown. Like there is no sign of ZCTU President Peter Mutesa.

Today, it has further escalated, as the activist and This Flag Movement Head Pastor Evans Mawarire, was at Rotten Row in Harare charged with treason, as the state are looking into discovery to finalize the investigation into him. As they took him from his home yesterday without any warning, as they first charging him with inciting violence. However, he was just spreading messages of peaceful protest against unfair pricing of fuel and destruction of the livelihood of the people, because of it. By 16th January, the ZADHR reported that there was 172 people in severe condition and 68 cases with gun-shot wounds.

Just to make the situation worse, Povo News reported: “police are raiding medical facilities looking for victms of their own brutality so that they can arrest them. Significant number of victims now fearing to get treatment for injuries because of possibility of being arrested” (Povo News, 17.01.2019).

This is the fourth day, there are some reports of soldiers going door to door in some townships and beating people up. Hard to verify, but wouldn’t be surprising, as the levels of people hurt and wounded. Also, the need for lawyers and medical personnel all over the country to the people in need. Therefore, the full picture of these few days atrocities will surface sooner or later. The sadness is for all the fallen, all the innocent people touched by the authorities that is supposed to guard them, not hurt them.

They have lost their sense of care and governance, as they have retaliated and attacked them. Instead of governing them, they are detaining them as prisoners to their rule. A fully transparent military dictatorship with no mercy for the civilians nor civic duties.

Operation Restore Legacy and the November Coup d’etat in 2017 didn’t bring any significant changes. As Mnangagwa and Gen. Constantino Chiwenga is doing the same thing as before. Even more brazen and more harsher. As they are enforcing no tolerance and no mercy on their citizens. As they are not accepting the Stay Away or Shutdown protests. They are going violent and assaulted for standing up for their rights and the new insane prices on fuel, which will destroy livelihood of the citizens and the businesses. However, the ZANU-PF promised to be Republic open for business, but this actions are showing there are closed. The ZANU-PF is showing that they are not keen on transparent or a just society for all people. They are willing to arrest, detain, hurt and kill the ones who are in their pathway. That is what has been reported, we just don’t know to what extent.

The Zimbabweans got rid of Mugabe, but they got a incarnated and younger version of him. Who has no care for them either. He will use the same methods and destruction,

The ones fighting to lift the sanctions against Zimbabwe before and during this is foolish. As long as the state is killing civilians, silencing protesters, arresting activists, union leaders and opposition leaders. The International Community will not be interesting to lift anything, as they see the same rouge state as before. Just with another head and PR Machine, but no intent of making changes. The Mnangagwa Presidency has been marred with economic difficulties and no utter atrocities, which is not sending signals of hope, but instead despair.

Mnangagwa was another Pharaoh, he wasn’t the great hope. Instead, more Mugabeisms. Peace.

Zimbabwe: Rebuild Hope, Trust, Confidence and Stability in Zimbabwe – Pastoral Letter of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference on current affairs in the country (17.01.2019)

Brexit: Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn letter to Prime Minister Theresa May (17.01.2019)

ZADHR Press release: Hundreds shot, tens estimated dead in rampant rights violations across Zimbabwe (15.01.2019)

15 January 2019, 2300 Hrs

The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) continues to receive disturbing reports of gross human rights violations across Zimbabwe.

ZADHR has attended to a total of one hundred and seven patients by 1600 hrs of the 15th of January 2019. The injuries ranged from extensive deglouving wounds secondary to gunshot wounds, gunshot wounds in the head, penetrating abdominal trauma and blunt trauma. The majority of the cases were concentrated in Bulawayo, Harare ( particularly Mabvuku and Chitungwiza), Karoi and Kadoma.

ZADHR has also received unconfirmed reports of several deaths across Zimbabwe. One person is alleged to have been run over by a security personnel truck in Harare, and one person who was declared dead on arrival at a medical facility in Kadoma. Reports of other deaths in Epworth and parts of Harare and Chitungwiza are also still being verified. ZADHR estimates the total number of deaths by end of yesterday to be in the region of five to ten casualties. It has been difficult to verify this information due to the internet blackout in Zimbabwe. (ZADHR will release another statement once all tallies from their members are authoritatively collated)

There has also been confirmed reports of retributive torture, beatings and displacements in Mabvuku, Chitungwiza and Kadoma throughout the night of fourteen January 2019. ZADHR is aware of four patients who were scheduled to undergo major surgery for limb saving procedures, penetrating abdominal trauma and neurosurgical procedures in Harare alone. Many patients also had sharpnel and foreign bodies from live ammunition.

ZADHR condemns these gross human rights violations, the use of live ammunition on protesters and any use of torture as a tool to punish protesters. ZADHR also calls upon the authorities to urgently allow those who have been arrested in multiple dragnets cast across the country to receive urgent medical care. Hundreds of injured people have not been attended to as they can’t travel to medical institutions or as they fear arrests or possible victimization.

ZADHR also calls upon all parties to excersice restraint and express their right to protest in non violent and peaceful ways. ZADHR calls for the international community (SADC, AU , UN) to swiftly intervene in the Zimbabwe crisis before the tense situation escalates into a humanitarian disaster.

ZADHR continues to provide urgent medical care to those in need as a result of these disturbances and is reachable via WhatsApp, calls, sms on its hotline 0777604610.

ZADHR INFORMATION DEPARTMENT

Zimbabwe: Statement of Solidarity on the Crackdown on Legitimate Protest in Zimbabwe and the Silencing of Zimbabwean Voices by Shutting Down the Internet (15.01.2019)