Denford Magora's Latest Zimbabwe News Blog

Local Government Minister has had a decision he made to appoint a traditional leader in Hwedza nullified. Harare, Zimbabwe, 28 December 2009 Justice Anne-Mary Gowora at the High Court of Zimbabwe perhaps does not know how the ZANU PF patronage machinery works. That is why she has nullified the appointment of a Headman in Hwedza by Local Government Minister and Mugabe homeboy Ignatious Chombo. The Headmanship is for Goto Ward in the Hwedza Area. Strictly speaking, no matter what the modern laws say, Headmen are the responsibilities of the Chief of the area. Having a Minister appoint a Headman is akin to asking a Board Chairman to appoint a shop-floor supervisor, but that is how deeply ZANU PF is controlling the rural areas. This being Goto Ward, it would have been expected that traditional laws of natural inheritance dictate that Milton Goto, the obvious candidate, would have been appointed. But Chombo instead appointed a Madzimbamuto Chikowore to the job. This was in May 2007. Willard ...

Roy Bennet upon his release from prison earlier this year. He had been abducted from Charles Prince Airport where it was said he was trying to flee the country illegally. His trial has been in limbo until his lawyers forced matters yesterday by applying to have him removed from remand. The State immediately said it was now ready to have him stand trial at the High Court. A ruling on the matter is expected today. Harare, Zimbabwe, 14 October 2009 The State yesterday gave notice to a Magistrate in Mutare that, not only has it finalised its case against MDC Deputy Minister of Agriculture-designate Roy Bennett, but also that indicting him, they will seek to have him refused bail and locked up throughout his trial. Beatrice Mtetwa, who is representing Roy Bennett, wants the court to dismiss the case against Bennett and is arguing that the State only revealed yesterday that it was ready to indict him without giving him notice of this fact. But Prosecutor Michael Mugabe says, "The State ...

Jestina Mukoko and her fellow abductees arriving at court on December 24 last year, the first time they were seen in public after they had disappeared from their homes and places of work. They had been held incommunicado for up to three months, with the police saying they did not have them in their custody. The case against them (a banditry charge) was quashed by the Supreme Court because their "arrests" had been illegal and the group is now suing the Minister of State Security and his fellow conspirators for the abductions and illegal detentions. The State has abandoned the Minister, refusing to defend him in the lawsuit. Harare, Zimbabwe, 11 October 2009 Johannes Tomana, the Zimbabwe Attorney General, under fire from the MDC, Morgan Tsvangirai and Tendai Biti who want him fired, has, in a shock move, left the Minister of State Security, Didymus Mutasa, exposed in the courts, refusing to defend him in a lawsuit filed by Jestina Mukoko and others. Mukoko, who was facing charg...