UMA- Fellow countrymen let us take heed of the call for peaceful demonstrations. Let us emulate the ways of Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, the Dalai Lama and all those that advocate for peaceful resistance.Let us respect life, let us respect property and above all let us respect the rule of law lest we become one with that which we are fighting against!
Tuesday, 21 March 2017
Monday, 20 March 2017
UMA CONDEMNS STATEMENTS MADE BY HON KATSIRU
UMA CONDEMNS STATEMENTS MADE BY HON KATSIRU
When UMA and other CSOs are tirelessly working hard on reconciliation and feeling that something is taking shape, a legislator is quoted saying:
'Gukurahundi genocide can be resolved if Ndebeles pay for 19th Century'
Gukurahundi genocide can only be resolved if the Ndebele people first pay lobola and compensate Shonas for abducting and forcing into marriage young girls and raiding cattle from the same in the 19th century a Zanu-PF MP has said.According to NewZimbabwe.com, Marondera Central MP, Lawrence Katsiru, said this Wednesday while making his contributions to the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) Bill parliamentary public meeting at Mbuya Nehanda Hall in the Mashonland East capital.
"I agree with the Bill for various reasons. Our sisters and cattle were taken in Mashonaland by the Ndebeles," said Katsiru before he was booed down by other participants.
"They (Ndebeles) should pay lobola for kidnapping and forcing our sisters into marriage. They should compensate for the cattle they stole from Mashonaland. I was in Bulawayo during the Entumbane uprisings in early 1970s (the distabances actually took place in the early 1980s) and I saw Shonas being murdered in the streets because they could not speak Ndebele. These people should be compensated; then we should consider paying for Gukurahundi."
The NPRC bill has been brought back for public hearings after it was rejected by the same public in 2015 as they raised complaints over how it gave the Executive much oversight role over the operations of the commission.
The statements by Katsiru are an indication that tribalism is rife in the country. The Shona feel justified for the holocaust of the 1980s though its only a few that feel the Ndebele deserved to be murdered that way. Restorative justice and litigation must be considered inorder to mend the rift between the Shona and Ndebele.
Zimbabwe human rights report adopted in Geneva

Zimbabwe human rights report adopted in Geneva
UMA- The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHC) has adopted Zimbabwe's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report in Geneva, Switzerland.Zimbabwe's report highlights the country's human rights record and the measures taken by the government in protecting and promoting human rights.
During the review, Zimbabwe received 260 recommendations and supported 151 and deferred 100 for further consultation.
Speaking at the presentation and adoption of the report in Geneva, Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affair, reaffirmed the country's commitment to strengthening its legal and policy framework as well as institutions responsible for monitoring the human rights situation.He expressed gratitude to the interventions that have been made by representatives of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) and civil society operating within Zimbabwe, saying the partnership between government and these institutions will continue over the years as they implement the supported recommendations in Geneva
Vice President Mnangagwa however lamented the adverse effects of the El Nino weather phenomenon in the implementation of socio-economic rights, leaving the population vulnerable to famine and related challenges.
In an interview with the ZBC News after his presentation at the adoption of Zimbabwe's UPR report, ZHRC Chairperson, Mr Elasto Mugwadi and 16 other countries, among them Botswana, Venezuela, Belarus, Ghana and Cuba commended the government of Zimbabwe for its commitment to the improvement of the human rights terrain in the country.
Thursday, 16 March 2017
Mphoko tables peace deal
Mphoko tables Peace Bill
UMA- Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, who is also responsible for national healing, yesterday tabled the new National Peace and Reconciliation Bill in the National Assembly after it was withdrawn from Parliament last year.The Bill was withdrawn following its rejection by the Parliamentary Legal Committee and members of the public. The PLC had rejected the Bill, saying it undermined the independence of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission by conferring too much power on the parent ministry.
Following its tabling in the National Assembly yesterday, the Bill was immediately referred to the PLC.
In the new Bill, the minister will no longer demand reports from the Commission, with that responsibility now falling under Parliament. The Commission will also no longer need to get approval from the minister if they want to receive funds from other sources, but would just need to consult him or her.
UMA- Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, who is also responsible for national healing, yesterday tabled the new National Peace and Reconciliation Bill in the National Assembly after it was withdrawn from Parliament last year.The Bill was withdrawn following its rejection by the Parliamentary Legal Committee and members of the public. The PLC had rejected the Bill, saying it undermined the independence of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission by conferring too much power on the parent ministry.
Following its tabling in the National Assembly yesterday, the Bill was immediately referred to the PLC.
In the new Bill, the minister will no longer demand reports from the Commission, with that responsibility now falling under Parliament. The Commission will also no longer need to get approval from the minister if they want to receive funds from other sources, but would just need to consult him or her.
Eu slams CSOs' silence on Zim's imploding economy
Philip Van Damme
HARARE - The European Union (EU) has slammed civil society organisations (CSOs) for turning a blind eye on Zimbabwe’s imploding economy that is causing untold suffering of the masses.
The union’s envoy to Zimbabwe, Philippe Van Damme, pictured, said the CSOs were all buttoning their lips as they watch the country face a number of headwinds including a lack of investment flows, crippling cash shortages, a collapsing health sector and grinding poverty.
This comes at a time masses are increasingly getting hard-pressed and social problems are more acute than ever, with many getting poorer and more beleaguered.
Yet civil society’s outrage is muted.
“The voice of civil society organisations is weak,” Van Damme told civil society and the media at a discussion forum convened by Misa-Zimbabwe last weekend.
“Of course, people speak out notably on human rights issues, but on developmental issues, and on policy issues, your voice is hardly heard,” he said.
“I do not see much of the debate in the media on policy issues, but I see a lot of debate on factionalism and speculative politics. But on developmental issues such as how to address health issues and the sustainable development goals, I hardly see people putting substantial contributions.”
This comes after Zimbabwe’s projection of a higher economic growth of 3,7 percent this year, from an initial projection of 1,7 percent on the back of a better agriculture season, has been rubbished by a leading think-tank — NKC African Economics.
The Cape Town-based research firm said it still deems its projection for real GDP to contract by 1,7 percent this year, as appropriate at this stage.
This comes after Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa told military officers attending Joint Command and Staff Course Number 30 at Zimbabwe Staff College on Thursday in Harare, that the agricultural sector is set to perform strongly on the back of a projected three million tonne grain crop, the highest since 1984, according to official data.
Chinamasa’s optimistic revision is closer to the World Bank’s forecast of 3,8 percent.
“That said, in comparison to our own and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s projections, the government and the World Bank are especially optimistic,” NKC — a subsidiary of UK-based economic advisory firm Oxford Economics — said.
However, the civil society groups said they wanted to speak out more but were stifled by the repressive Public Order and Security Act (Posa), used to smother freedom of expression, association and movement by authorities.
Friday, 10 March 2017
PEACEBUILDING
UMA believes that for peacebuilding to be meaningful and successful it must be led by local people and it must target the most vulnerable and progress towards the strongheads. The peacebuilding process can be likened to lighting a fire where one must start by lighting grass and twigs, as the twigs burn they will in turn light logs and eventually giant logs. The local vulnerable villagers are the grass and twigs, if we absorb them on peacebuilding they will inturn absorb their village heads and eventually politicians and gradually our plights will reach parliament. This is the major reason why our work is mostly centered on rural communities that are vulnerable to violence and human rights abuse.
In the near future UMA hopes to cover the whole country in peacebuilding, doing a door to door capacity building in a drive to curb all forms of violence including domestic and gender based violence.
Thursday, 9 March 2017
Title: People subjected to a living hell by a traditional leader!
UMA- People of Muriel Mine are crying foul over the interference of Chief Katizagombo in Muriel Mine Primary and Muriel Mine High School matters. During an SDC meeting held on the 6th of March 2017 at Muriel Mine High the chief pointed out that all fees defaulters will be dragged to his court where he charges $30 for an appearance despite being the defendant if they fail to pay at least $10 by the 20th of March 2017. He echoed the same sentiments during a meeting at Muriel Mine Primary on the 9th of March 2017. When the majority of Zimbabwean rural population is living in abject poverty, a traditional leader has a clean conscience charging such high court charges and making such threats to suffering people.
Muriel Mine is a gold mining community, the mine used to be owned by LONRHO before closure in the year 2000. The mine was reopened by Pan African Mining in 2001 and latter sold to Minister Gapare under the 49/51 indigenization policy. Since the coming of Gapare the mine employees have not known full pay and at times go for months without pay. Most residents in Muriel Mine are living on food aid from the Ministry of Welfare. It was a known tradition in mines that education was not regarded as important since all school leavers and drop outs would be employed in the mines. To a people that are just emerging from such an era of darkness where education was not regarded as important, making such threats and demands would impact heavily on the children. If too much pressure is exerted on these poor parents the only option left will be to drop their children off school, a scenario that would not be healthy. The surrounding farms are former white commercial farmers farms, people in these farms have been reduced to casual labourers who are seasonally employed at times for no pay. They have no option but to work even for nothing lest they risk being evicted from the only homes they have known for nearly two decades. Such farm people can only get money to pay for fees after harvests, stipulating an earlier payment date would just be inhuman to the poor parents.
"I will just take my children off school rather than getting summoned by the chief and get charged such large amounts when I'm struggling to even provide sadza for my family!" said a bitter parent who declined to be named for fear of victimisation.
The people of the area are living under a harsh traditional ruler who finds pleasure in threatening and siphoning money from people who live on less than a dollar per day. Such chiefs take advantage of the vulnerability and ignorance of many of the rural people. During our workshops in Mt Darwin and Muzarabani we enlightened such disadvantaged people of their rights as enshrined by the Constitution of Zimbabwe. Farmers used to enjoy farming in this fertile area but it is no longer the case since there is now too much interference from the chief. A tobacco farmer complained of being fined for reaping his tobacco on a Thursday which the chief declared a traditional day of rest (chisi). When the government is placing so much importance on agribusiness then where do such primitive laws emanate from? The chief is one of many chiefs that have been installed recently for political purposes and he takes pride in being partisan threatening anyone who supports opposition politics with eviction.
"Kurima kwacho kwakutonetsa nekuti mimwe mitemo yave kutibata yaifanirwa kunge ichibata vanhu vari kumaruzevha vasingatore kurima sebasa" ( Farming is becoming impossible due to some laws that are being introduced, such laws should apply to former reserves peasant subsistence farmers not us agribusiness people) complained another farmer who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Such is the daily life of rural Zimbabweans, telling their stories is just a hope that one day they will find a hearing ear.
Tell us your stories and we will let the world hear your plights.
Get in touch with UMA on www.facebook.com/umthunzi49, www.twitter.com/umthunzi49 or umthunzi49.blogspot.com
Tuesday, 7 March 2017
CORRUPTION AND PERSONALISATION OF FOOD AID
The issue of corruption is widespread in most rural areas where welfare officers responsible for food aid distribution are engaging in various forms of corruption. It is so disheartening to see these officers demanding various amounts of money ranging from US$2 to $6 from poor needy villagers who live on less than US$1 per day. Those that can not afford the amount are left to starve yet they are the rightful beneficiaries of the food aid program. Welfare officers are personalising food aid to an extent of deciding on who to receive aid who not to depending on their relationship with the person.
A villager who opted for anonymity reported that most of these welfare officers are relatives of councillors and village heads so they have a strong political as well as traditional backing, trying to expose them will be a waste of time. This has also been echoed by almost all beneficiaries from ward 30, Zvimba North, where the councillor has strong ties with all welfare officers; some being his concubines and some his political allies.
UMA is appealing to members of the public to report such cases to the police or to make a report via this platform or our Facebook page so that we make sure justice has been served!
Zanu PF councillor order government distributed maize to be given to party members alone
Heal Zimbabwe Trust has reported that recently in Buhera West ward 10a councillor told the villagers that the food being distributed by government in the area would be given to Zanu PF members only.The trust said on February 23, Councillor Garikai Marova held a meeting at Chief Chimombe's residence and announced that the maize that he received from Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare to distribute to community members was going to be distributed to Zanu PF supporters only.
"He also said that if opposition party supporters wanted to receive the maize, they should purchase Zanu PF membership cards that cost $3," said the trust."Councillor Marova also announced that all Village heads should compile names of all suspected opposition party members from their wards and submit to him."
 Efforts to get a comment from Councillor Seremwe were fruitless as his mobile phone was switched off.
Zanu PF legislator threaten villagers with starvation if they do not vote his party in 2018
Mt Darwin West Legislator Banwell Seremwe has threatened villagers with starvation and violence if they do not vote for his party Zanu PF in the 2018 elections.The MP made the threats in Mt Darwin ward 36.
Heal Zimbabwe Trust reported that on the 28th of February 2017, Mt Darwin West Legislator, Banwell Seremwe threatened people in his constituency with violence and food aid withdrawal in case Zanu PF loses elections in 2018.
"At a meeting held at Dotito Rural Council, Seremwe said that if people vote for the opposition party, Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) in the 2018 elections, they will be denied food aid," said the trust.
"He also threatened people with violence if they fail to vote for Zanu PF in the 2018 elections," said the trust.
Efforts to contact Hon Seremwe were fruitless as his mobile phone was not reachable.
SAY NO TO XENOPHOBIA
UMA condemns the xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals going on in South Africa.Violence for whatever reason is not justifiable in the eyes of both man and God."Jehovah...hates anyone who loves violence"-Psalms 11:5.Dear brethren let us be careful lest we invite God's wrath upon ourselves and generations to come.
Let us love one another as commanded by our Saviour Jesus Christ. Africa we are one people its just politicians that seperated you from your brother by a razor wire and called you South Africans and me Zambian and him Zimbabwean. We need each other Africans no country can survive on its own.
SAY NO TO XENOPHOBIA!
Sunday, 5 March 2017
News from Civil Society
News from Civil SocietyVendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation, in collaboration with the Combined Harare Residents Association and the Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Association, held its fourth community engagement meeting with the Vendors and the Residents in Harare CBD yesterday to map strategies to arrest the outbreak and spread of typhoid. Over 150 vendors and residents attended. There was consensus amongst the participants that there is no discernible nexus between the vending activities and the outbreak of typhoid. Participants took turns to lament the use of vendors by government as scapegoats for its failure to provide water, sanitation and hygiene services which has resulted in the outbreak of typhoid. The vendors bemoaned that the government and the Local Authorities have relegated the vendors to the periphery of public priorities and have become monsters who habitually trample on their livelihoods, flagrantly violating their constitutional right to decent work, dignity, food and life. / The Chitungwiza Residents Trust (Chitrest) expresses its utmost disgust over the manner in which the Health Services Board (HSB) and the Government of Zimbabwe are handling the ongoing strike by public health practitioners. Doctors and nurses at public health institutions are demanding a reconsideration of their working conditions. The strike by doctors from public hospitals citing poor working conditions and the government’s reluctance to fulfill its obligation on paying them their 13th cheque for 2016 started in Harare last month. The doctors and nurses from Chitungwiza’s public hospitals have since joined the striking doctors over related concerns. / The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) notes, with regret, escalating cases of violent attacks targeted at foreign nationals living in South Africa. We are particularly worried with the situation unfolding in the Pretoria and Johannesburg, where a number of foreign nationals, including Zimbabweans, have suffered physical and psychological harm. We are of the view that instability in many African countries, a direct consequence of weak democratic culture, is at the heart of the forced migration many Africans have to take in order to escape persecution, poverty and lack of opportunity. Hence, we continue to plead with African governments to be more democratic and responsive so that citizens can meaningfully contribute to their own development, in their own countries. Aspirations of regional and continental integration can only be met if we are all moving together in one direction. We urge South African authorities to shun issuing xenophobic sentiments. We urge them to urgently deploy adequate resources and put in place measures aimed at protecting human life, regardless of nationality. The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition will continue to work with various stakeholders, including the South African government and civil society establishments in finding a lasting solution to threats of xenophobia. / As part of its efforts towards strengthening the capacity of communities to monitor, report and take action against corruption, maladministration and bad governance, theAnti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa has set up additional Anti-Corruption Monitoring Voluntary Action in Bulawayo, Beitbridge, Victoria Falls, Mutare, Harare and Chinhoyi. / Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights reports that High Court Judge Justice Esther Muremba on Wednesday 22 February 2017 issued an ultimatum ordering a Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officer to return a driver’s licence which he had confiscated from a motorist two years ago as inducement to coerce him to pay a spot fine. Andrew Makunura, a Harare motorist, who is employed as a registered general nurse by the National Blood Transfusion Services, had his driver’s licence confiscated by Constable Agrippa Chinyama, a ZRP officer, at a roadblock mounted by the police along High Glen road in Harare on 12 February 2015 as he was driving his children to school and taking his wife, Tafadzwa Kajasi to work.
Saturday, 4 March 2017
Political Violence
There have been reports of people being beaten by alleged state security in Raffingora, Zvimba North. It is alleged that state security last Sunday gave a thorough beating to some guys who had tried to practice their right to freedom from being forced to attend political meetings. The Constituency has been busy with ZANU PF rebuilding cells and dissolving and forming new branch committees. Failure to attend such meetings has always resulted in some members of the communities being victimized.
Zvimba North is a ZANU PF stronghold and consists mainly of resettlement areas. The MP for the constituency is Dr IMC Chombo who has maintained his grip on power through the use of intimidation such as employing the services of the state security and using traditional leaders to threaten the electorate. Chombo's main rival in the constituency is his ex wife Marian who is the Provincial Chair for former VP Mujuru's party.
More to follow! Like and share, we will keep you updated no human right violation shall go unreported!
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