Denford Magora's Latest Zimbabwe News Blog

A clearly excited Morgan Tsvangirai could be seen leaning forward, rising his seat as he shook hands with General Sibanda of the Army and Air Marshal Perance Shiri of the Zimbabwe Air Force on Defence Forces Day. The Generals have now agreed with Mugabe to implement a strategy for containing Tsvangirai which has worked a charm for Mugabe when he started implementing it. Harare, Zimbabwe, 16 August 2009 Impeccable information I received on Saturday reveals that the Service Chiefs of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, far from adopting a conciliatory approach to Morgan Tsvangirai, are actually implementing a plan agreed on with Mugabe at the last meeting of JOC, which was held in Highlands two weeks before the National Security Council met with Mugabe in the chair and Tsvangirai in attendance. Most people reporting on Zimbabwe still take things at face value and this is working wonderfully for Mugabe and not so well for Tsvangirai. Robert "Tsvangirai's Solution to Zimbabwe's Probl...

Nelson Chamisa (above) was held by the collar by a "top" General according to MDC-T sources. This was during the visit of a Korean delegation to Zimbabwe. The Independent, which carries the story, also claims an improbable deal whereby Tsvangirai has agreed to drop "outstanding issues" in exchange for "respect" from the Generals Harare, Zimbabwe, 14 August 2009 Nelson Chamisa, the MDC-T Minister of Information Communication Technology, was apparently held by the collar and shaken by a General in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces during the visit by Koreans to the country a while back. This was the same event when Tsvangirai himself had one of the cars in his entourage denied entry into State House for a dinner hosted for the visitors. Tsvangirai decided to boycott the event, turned around with his entire motorcade and drove away. This is all in a report carried by The Independent today, which does not name the General, although it is widely believed to be Genera...

General Sibanda of the Army shakes Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's hand during Defence Forces Day ceremonies at Harare stadium on Tuesday. Air Marshal Perance Shiri can be seen behind the General saluting General Mujuru. Notice how Tsvangirai half-rises in his seat in respect as he shakes General Sibanda's hand. Harare, Zimbabwe, 13 August 2009 I did promise you that I would give you an update on the raging issue of Tsvangirai and the Defence Forces Commanders. Unfortunately, Blogger went down some time ago and has only just returned, so I could not post anything at all. Anyway. The Service Chiefs themselves have confirmed to people who asked them that they did not salute Morgan Tsvangirai. It was alleged that Air Marshal Perance Shiri and General Philip Sibanda of the Army had saluted the Prime Minister. According to sources close to one of the two, here is the true story: Tsvangirai was seated next to ZANU PF Kingmaker Retired General Solomon Mujuru at the start of proceed...

A deft positioning by Tsvangira ensured that two service chiefs, General Sibanda of the army and Air Marshal Perance Shiri had no choice but to greet him. Sitting next to Rtd General Mujuru and VP Mujuru, whom the two had to approach and greet, Tsvangirai extended his hand, and it was accepted by both men. There is already talk about this, but will fill you in later. Robert "The Solution" Mugabe revealed yesterday just how far the tentacles of the security establishment goes in Zimbabwe. Speaking on Defence Forces Day yesterday, Mugabe admitted that senior army officials "have had houses bought for them". At the moment, the cash-strapped Inclusive Government, Mugabe revealed, was buying or building houses for the armed forces in areas like Dzivarasekwa and Glen View. The Defence Forces have also been allocated some farms under Mugabe's Land Reform Programme. Maintaining that looking after the interests of the armed forces was "top priority", Mugabe al...

Harare, Zimbabwe. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was told that there were no security papers for him to review from the days of JOC during the inaugural National Security Council meeting in Harare on Thursday. Tsvangirai indicated that he wanted to "familiarise myself with the historical role of security establshment" and said he would want to "peruse previous documentation" to that end. Mugabe told him that no minutes were taken during JOC meetings because of the sensitive nature of the discussions. There was no offer to give him copies of previous operational minutes from security structures outside JOC. Tsvangirais office shrugged off teh snub today: "What is important is not what happened before, but what is going to happen in the future. We are looking ahead." And my hunch is that this future is a bleak desert filled with the whitened skulls of unfulfilled hope. Mugabe could have convened the NSC meeting at the snap of a finger, but he dithered, giv...

Mugabe, seen here with Defence Forces Chief General Chiwengwa (whose car allegedly abducted Deputy Minister of Agriculture-designate Roy Bennett from Charles Prince Airport in February) remains firmly in control of the Defence Forces and Justice portfolios and the National Security Council meeting yesterday reinforced that with a tightly controlled agenda. This was the inaugural meeting of the NSC, from which nothing much should be expected. JOC remains active and PM Tsvangirai got no response to his "encouragement" to the body to dissolve. The National Security Council (NSC) finally met for the first time yesterday under the Chairmanship of Robert "The Solution" Mugabe, whom the State Media now never mention without adding "Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces." The service chiefs made a point of attending the meeting in civilian clothing. The Service Chiefs reportedly sat stony-faced throughout. The meeting was tightl...

Emmerson Mnangagwa, Minister of Defence and Mugabe's now-certain heir, seen here with PM Morgan Tsvangirai in parliament, answered questions in the House yesterday after a delay of some months during which parliamentarians complained to the Speaker and the media that the Minister was not availing himself to answer their questions. He was asked about the failure or reluctance by the Service Chiefs to salute the Prime Minister and he fobbed them all off with a flimsy explanation. Emmerson Mnangagwa, the Minister of Defence and Mugabe heir-apparent yesterday told parliament why the service chiefs will not salute Tsvangirai in an explanation that was clearly lacking in sincerity, as I will explain. Mnangagwa was shown on Newshour on ZTV last night explaining that the Service Chiefs only salute the president of the country as the Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. He pointed out that the Service Chiefs were also absent at the very low-key swearing-in of Vice-Presidents ...

This was the moment power was swiped from Morgan Tsvangirai's hands: the Mugabe inauguration on June 29 2008. Looking on as General Chiwenga congratulates the dictator are Air Marshal Perance Shiri and General Sibanda of the Army. Now they have come out in vocal support of Gideon Gon o What did I tell you? I told you at the weekend that Gideon Gono, in putting his resignation to the president at his home in Helensvale, had said no ZANU PF leader was standing up for him even as he was vilified in public by the MDC-T. He is said to have told the dictator. that he felt he was not wanted anymore. On Monday, Mugabe duly oblidged and made a public statement (below) at the funeral of the Governor's brother. By now, if you have not been on Mars, you know what the old dictator said. But, just as I said, now others are coming out of the woodwork. Service Chiefs, no less, Prime Minister Tsvangirai's nemesis, have come out in support of the man at the burial of the same brother. Air Vi...

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai welcomes dictator Robert Mugabe to the VIP tent at the beginning of Independence Day Celebrations in Harare today . He looks too jovial considering the bruising battles and humiliations he and his ministers have been suffering at the hands of Mugabe in the last couple of weeks, do you not think? Dictator Robert Mugabe gave the shortest speech of his career at the Independence Celebrations in Harare earlier today and his characteristic attacks on Britain and the West were missing. Sources close to the dictator say he wanted it "over and one with quickly" because of the presence of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, and other MDC officials, which ZANU PF felt "sullied" the event. Besides Morgan Tsvangirai, others in attendance included Mavambo.Kusile.Dawn president Dr Simba Makoni, the vice presidents and deputy prime ministers and ministers from all the parties in the coalition government. Mugabe, together with his wife (who was dresse...

Cabinet Swearing-in: Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe pats Tendai Biti's hand soon after he was sworn in as Finance Minister (top pic) and watches as his new Defence Minister and now confirmed heir, Emmerson Mnangagwa, signs his appointment papers Zimbabwe's Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, has told the world to leave Mugabe alone and stop personalising the politics of Zimbabwe. Speaking to the veteran London Guardian Southern African Reporter, Chris McGreal, Tsvangirai "called on the world "to get over" President Robert Mugabe and stop seeing him as the principal problem facing his country" according to a report published by the paper yesterday on its website. Tsvangirai spoke to McGreal yesterday, a couple of hours before he was due at State House to see his ministers sworn in by Mugabe and just over an hour before Bennet was arrested at Charles Prince Airport in Harare. So thoroughly has Tsvangirai been outwitted by Mugabe that he practically spent the ...