Acie Lumumba | Time to look beyond the protests (Youtube-Clip)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLmDYSQSoVU

Statement by the Spokesperson on the recent violent clashes in Ethiopia (10.08.2016)

Omoro Protest 06.08.2016

BRUSSELS, Belgium, August 10, 2016 –  “Violence in the Oromia and Amhara regions of Ethiopia, including reports of killings of protesters as well as of members of the security forces, is deeply worrying. We express our condolences to all those affected. Everyone must refrain from the use of force as further violence can only be an obstacle to peaceful solutions.

The Federal Ethiopian constitution offers mechanisms which should be used by all sides to address the grievances behind the recent protests through constructive dialogue and engagement, without delay.”

Zimbabwe: Government Proposes Tighter Controls over Social Media (09.08.2016)

The Hearald Zimbabwe

The government of Zimbabwe’s Computer Crime and Cyber Crime Bill would severely limit citizens’ access to information. 

WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, August 9, 2016 – In response to plans by the government of Zimbabwe to introduce legislation to tightly restrict access to social media and monitor private communications, with stiff criminal penalties for violators, Freedom House issued the following statement:

“The government of Zimbabwe’s Computer Crime and Cyber Crime Bill would severely limit citizens’ access to information, as the government tries to stifle calls for economic and political reform,” said Lynn Fredriksson, director for Southern Africa programs. “President Mugabe and Supa Mandiwandzira, the minister of information communication technology, should know that further stifling communication will lead to more anti-government demonstrations across the country.”

Background:

The government’s planned legislation would allow authorities to arbitrarily seize mobile phones, tablets and laptops; monitor private communications; interrupt broadband service; and sentence violators to imprisonment.

The legislation, which would supplement the National ICT Policy which is still being developed, is part of the government’s response to recent anti-government protests that have largely been organized and shared via social media. Hashtags such as #ThisFlag have attracted large numbers of followers.

Many Zimbabweans rely on Twitter and WhatsApp, which have been used to rally mass participation in demonstrations. In July, the government temporarily blocked access to WhatsApp, as it faced protests over its inability to pay civil servants’ salaries.

Zimbabwe is rated Partly Free in Freedom in the World 2016, Not Free in Freedom of the Press 2016, and Partly Free in Freedom on the Net 2015.

Tonight with Tim Modise | Pastor Evan Mawarire talks #ThisFlag movement & Zimbabwe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJDEAw9t4xs

Statement by the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa on #OromoProtest

Ethiopia Addis Demo outside US Embassy

Addis Ababa, August 8, 2016:  The U.S. Embassy is deeply concerned with the extensive violence that occurred during protests across Ethiopia this weekend in the Oromia and Amhara regions. We have noted reports that protestors and security officials have been injured or killed, although confirmed numbers are not available.

The U.S. Embassy expresses its deep condolences to those who suffered as a result of the violence and regrets the damage to livelihoods, economic development, and the social fabric that such violence brings.  We recognize that many of the demonstrations took place without authorization, and urge all parties to support those who are seeking constructive dialog and peaceful solutions.  We reaffirm our call to respect the constitutionally enshrined rights of all citizens, including those with opposition views, to gather peacefully, and to express their opinions.

Ethiopia: #OromoProtest becomes bloody!

Omoro Protest 06.08.2016

There been reports that on the second day in Ethiopia that the government has turned off the Internet and sent the army to the Oromia. So the TPLF and the Ethiopian Government want the world not to know their actions against their own citizens who desperately demonstrate against their oppressive behavior. This is the Ethiopian Government and their Prime Minister Hailemiriam Desalegn Boshe. Today in the Oromia have been thousands arrested and reported of approximately 60 dead. The government is really doing everything to silence and kill of the protest in the region. The Authorities are usually taking the demonstrators who we’re arrested and taken into military camps where the TLPF are torturing them and giving them inhumane treatment. There been also reported that the government fears so much for information leaks from the demonstrations that they even are blocking SMS in the areas.

The other reports of killed are these approximately 80 killed during the last 24 hours. 34 at the Amhara protests killed in Bahir Dar and 50 killed in the Omoroprotests killed yesterday (Live from Mogadishu, 07.08.2016).

First report:

“A personal witness from Asasa, W.Arsi zone says people are left helpless with their wounded family members because the military closed the only public hospital available in town” (Girma Gutema, 07.08.2016).

Demonstrations in Mogor town, West Shewa:

Second Report:

“We are hearing ongoing mass killing including assassination of prominent businessmen in Awaday and other Oromo towns. It is very hard to fully verify what we hear via telephone as internet is completely shut off in Ethiopia, and electricity is cut off from most towns in Oromia. The whereabout of hundreds of university lecturers, doctors and businessmen is unknown by their parents. A prominent businessman named Sheko was assassinated by the military in his own home in Aawaday. If the influx of information is confirmed, a systematic ethnic cleansing, if not genocide is being committed against the Oromo” (Daraaraa Sabaa, 07.08.2016).

Third Report:

“We are hearing Oromia International Bank branch in Bahr Dar is attacked. have no doubt this is done by the Tigrean mafia to attempting to instigate conflict between Oromo and Amhara. We should expect possible attack on Amhara properties in Oromia” (Jawar Mohammed, 07.08.2016)

Fouth Report:

“We are hearing ongoing mass killing including assassination of prominent businessmen in Awaday and other Omoro towns. It is very hard to fully verify what we hear via telephone as internet is completely shut off in Ethiopia, and electricity is cut off from most towns in Oromia. The whereabout of hundreds of university lecturers, doctors and businessmen is unknown by their parents. A prominent businessman named Sheko was assassinated by the military in his own home in Awaday. If the influx of information is confirmed, a systematic ethnic cleansing, if not genocide is being committed against Oromo. The Oromo around the world must be prepared to hear the worst and respond in kind” (Jawar Mohammed, 06.08.2016).

Riot in Bale: 

The reports from Ethiopia are not sunny and as good as their exported coffee. This bad news as the oppressive behavior of the TPLF continues as the strongmen of the capital with their weapons and army are attacking the citizens. This should be focused and the Ethiopian Government should be condemn, sanctioned and embargoed against as the TPLF are not following any kind of peaceful means towards their demonstrators. The demonstrators are being taken down and arrested for doing their civil duty. The TPLF should beg for legitimacy in the region, not silence them by the gun and by the monopoly of violence against the Omoro people and their institutions.

In Koma Town: 

The TPLF have deployed ordinary army from the border regions to the Amhara region to engage the civilians. What is fearful when Ethiopians are even saying if a protester dies on the outside of Addis Ababa than it seems not to count. Therefore the TPLE can do as they want in the regions of demonstrations. Peace.

Zimbabwe: Thabiths Khumalo needs your prayers and Journalists beaten up during the demonstrations in Harare today!

Zim 03.08.2016

“I hear she has developed some breathing problems after inhaling police tear gas during the Harare demonstrations today. UMakhumalo is a very unfortunate character, she needs our prayers as we play toyi toyi with our self created dictatorship” (Ndaba Nhuku, 03.08.2016)

Other victims of Police Brutality today:

“ANTI-RIOT police of Wednesday ran amok, beating up journalists and protesters who were had embarked on a peaceful demonstration against continued joblessness under the current Zanu PF led government. Journalists who fell victim to the cops during the Harare demo were Aljazeera’s Haru Mutasa, BBC’s Tendai Masiyazviripo, freelance journalists Chris Mahove and Tony Manyangadze as well as Idah Mhetu, a female photo journalist with the Financial Gazette” (RadioVop Zimbabwe, 03.08.2016).

So the Zanu-PF does not accept people demonstrating against them or the ones reporting them to the media. So the demonstrations against the economic policies and longevity of Mugabe Presidency is not seen as good thing by the ruling regime. They continue to hurt innocent civilians to be in power. The Good Governance and Justice is not worthy words coming out of Mugabe’s mouth, as his actions and his Police are making citizens to criminals for doing the duty as citizens. Peace.

WATCH: No to Bond Notes protests in Harare violently broken up by Zimbabwe police (Youtube-Clip)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9mg8st9zNQ

“Riot police in Zimbabwe used tear gas and water cannon Wednesday to break up a protest by several hundred demonstrators gathered in Harare in a fresh outbreak of opposition to President Robert Mugabe. An AFP reporter said police dispersed the rally by beating protesters with batons and firing tear gas, injuring several people as the fleeing crowds threw stones in response. Many of the marchers wore the national flag around their necks — seen as a symbol of a surge in recent protests — while unemployed graduates wore academic gowns and others held wooden Christian crosses. Among the slogans on placards were “Once Liberator, Now Oppressor”, “Mugabe Must Go” and “You Have Failed Mr Mugabe.” Zimbabwe’s economic collapse has worsened this year, with the government now without the funds to pay even its military or civil servants on time. A series of street protests has erupted in past weeks, despite 92-year-old Mugabe’s record of using his ruthless security forces to crush public dissent” (taiMEDIA, 2016)

Have hope in #ThisFlag; Still, it’s the darkest before a new dawn in Zimbabwe

santions Mugabe

“Dear Mr President. You cannot stop your sun from setting and you will most definitely not stop mine from rising #ThisFlag” – Evan Mawarire

There is a brewing something sinister in Zimbabwe. As the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) under the reign of long-long serving President Robert “Bob” Mugabe are using the Police and army as his prestigious bodyguards for his power.

The economic state of Zimbabwe is weak, weakest of the weak. Wiggling and broken as the civil servants and army personnel haven’t been paid in June and July 2016, as much as the people have been re-engaged in politics as the Zanu-PF elite has been eating. Lynda Masasira have been detained for speaking her mind on behalf of Woman organizations. #ThisFlag Movement Pastor and Founder Evan Mawarire have been taken to court on charges against the state, but a 100 lawyers showed up and the public demanded his release as the day went on; but after the release he fled into exile in South Africa. So the history repeats itself.

Only Morgan Tsvangirai is back home still, as his Movement for Democratic Change; are more and more fractioned. This being said while recently the former aide to Tsvangirai, Maxwell Zeb Shumba officially presented his new party at the 29th July 2016 to launch the Zimbabwean First (ZimFirst) Party.  This happens as the MDC-T party are losing their backing from the people is dwindling; while the people’s faith in Mwarire is showing, as his selflessness and casting of the bitter truth is astonishing. The opposition has a political movement, but not a political party that all men and woman trusts. With the Ruling-regime total control and focus around the family of Mugabe; the ability of paying and splashing funds on Zanu-PF loyalists.

That is been showing in the Vice-President Phelekezela Mpoko living in a luxury hotel for a year and half where he paid $ 1.000 a day at the hotel and that was including meals. This happens as the most of the Zimbabweans are living fewer than 2 US. Dollars a day, to sustain food and shelter; also with the wonderful late-payment of government salaries and other difficulties to get certain import products. The land has also from January to June 2016 been importing from abroad for $1bn. and most of that for agricultural products. That means the former breadbasket of the Southern Africa; needs help to feed their own. President Mugabe must be so proud of his land-reforms.

John-Mangudya-534x400

The Zimbabwean State have in control the foreign exchange rates and control the usage of limited funds, the government at one point suspended certain imports for businesses. But at the same time, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr. John Mangudya saying recently “We are importing foreign currency to pay ourselves instead of paying for fuel and capital goods. That’s inefficiency”. Surely he is spot on, but the grand dictator doesn’t mind because when he celebrates he eats splendid cuisine on the tax-money.

As the state deteriorate, even the most harden loyalists have been attacking the long-term president even been accused of overuse and overstepping his power. The latest is the Zimbabwean Liberation War Veterans Associations (ZLWVA) Secretary-General Victor Matemadanda. Also the ZLWVA spokesperson Douglas Mahiya, these been detained for speaking their mind, which after the President the day before said the War Veterans we’re not patriotic, that meaning not speaking of the deity called Mugabe. He has gone further than that as well: “Ruhanya said Zanu PF’s advertisements calling for former Zipra and Zanla war vets to converge at Zanu PF HQ tomorrow 26/7/16 to support President Mugabe” (…) “From the adverts in state media, it appears clear that G40 led by the President has declared war on the leadership of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association led by Christopher Mutsvangwa. Waiting to hear the views of this G40 group. But the problems raised wont disappear because of this meeting; economy remains dead and the president cant provide the economic and political leadership as he remains captured by wife and a cabal benefiting from Stone Age corrupt practices against the majority poor. Elite discohesion and authoritarian erosion.” (Harare24.com, 26.07.2016).

With the darkness of bewildered state of Mugabe the bitterness of Grace Mugabe as she was shopping in Singapore as the #ZimShutDown was going on in mid-July, as the salaries we’re postphoned again for the civil servants, as the June-Pay had not arrived and seemingly not the July either. Just as today in the Zimbabwe Today reported this:

“Speaker of Parliament Advocate  Jacob Mudenda called on workers  to work overtime and expect not getting paid extra remuneration” (…) “Mudende said this would steer productivity  and ensure companies remain afloat than for them to retrench workers because of low production” (…) “Mudenda ‘s statement is likely to steer animosity among government workers who are disgruntled  over delay in payment of salaries. A majority of workers have of late clashed with their pay masters over unpaid over-time and other benefits” (Zimbabwe-Today, 25.07.2016).  As this came a few days early when the industries and workers we’re expected the same fate as civil servants; work but non-pay. The government promised to rescue with an old cue: “In a media briefing after touring companies in Bulawayo, Industry minister Mike Bimha said companies in Zimbabwe were struggling due to lack of funding and cheap imports from other countries. To counter that, he said the government was working tirelessly to revive the Distressed and Marginalised Areas Fund (Dimaf). “We want to revisit the issue of Dimaf in terms of making it bigger and more accessible. I’m sure we can do that so that we can continue to have companies accessing a little bit of funding and making a difference to companies,” Bimha, who is attending the on-going Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries congress” (Nyoni, Mthandazo, 28.07.2016 – Newsday.co.zw). If this is true, then some of the men might not go without salaries, but seeing are believing… and the government have not been accountable; so why believe them now?

anti-mugabe-protests-in-zimbabwe

With all this the recent days that #ThisFlag continues, the sanctions don’t get lifted and the IMF/World Bank doesn’t give in to the Mugabe Government. Let me end with quotes from Mugabe in an article from Daily News Zimbabwe:

“I want to warn leaders of these churches that are emerging only for the sake of money, the likes of Mawarire that Zanu-PF will not tolerate any nonsense done in the name of religion, that once you begin to interfere with our politics you are courting real trouble” (…) “keep to your religion and we will respect you. We know how to deal with our enemies who have for a long time been itching to effect regime change. We have the means to do that. I say to our  people, when these other small (opposition)  parties demonstrate  out of anger, control yourselves in the knowledge that the police belongs to us so we will ask them to throw them in jail so they can also test life in prison” (Mugove Tafirenyika, 28.07.2016).

This comes from the man who once upon a time in Mozambique wanted to free his Zimbabweans from the tyranny of Smith-regime and was righteous in that claim. But now he does the same in his own actions against his population and calls a citizens and a pastor a enemy who deserve to spend time in jail. That he deserve apparently for asking the government, to actually govern and not only eat the tax-money. The pride of Mugabe and his reign are ending in tyranny on the level of Smith or worse as the liberator knew what he fought against; An with time turned into the same kind of leader as the ones he fought against. The injustice of the past, is the ones of the present; might not in post-colonial treatment, but in honor of feeding the Zanu-PF and the elites, the cronies of the state instead of serving the communities and citizens with decent policies and progress through transparent economic framework. Zimbabwe, the place where the Zimbabweans can trust their government for serving them and not the President alone! For the reason alone that Mugabe says the citizens who oppose his rule can try out prison, because the #ThisFlag is an enemy that the Police would control the nation in the powerful hand of Mugabe.

The sun-might set on Mugabe, but it is not his sun. Even if he has reign the land and the nation of Zimbabwe, it is not directly it’s his nation to own; he has had the power for decades and thinks now it is a God-given right to rule. Therefore the one occupying the country is his subjects, not the citizens as he speaks and his Ministers speak. They expect the citizens to work for no pay, because of the decisions and his will to stay without questioning the implications of his decrees. The Zimbabwe deserves another regime, which actually cares about the citizens, not only the president. The dawn of something new must soon reappear as this regime is becoming more and more draconian. The laws and lawmen are taking in anybody who has a smidge of questionable words against his rule. Mugabe wants the citizens to obey his rule and his Zanu-PF; not for Zimbabwe. Peace.

#Tajamuka, Reactions after Lynda Masarira was remanded in custody by Mbare Magistrates