Uncle Bob changes? Hell, no.
The "new" coalition government has a few problems:
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Riot police shot and seriously injured three mine workers at Zvishavane who were part of a strike action towards the end of September. Rather than holding the police accountable the victims were charged with public violence and had to appear in court in wheelchairs.
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The public perception that the Zanu PF party is not at all serious about addressing human rights violations or re-establishing non-partisan law and order in Zimbabwe is most heavily highlighted by the news that members of the disbanded Joint Operations Command - now the National Security Council - are said to be holding secret meetings with Robert Mugabe, excluding Morgan Tsvangirai who, under the GPA, is a member of the National Security Council. Analysts have reportedly said that these secretive meetings constitute the worst violation of the Global Political Agreement by the Zanu PF party.
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The Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank, Mr Mashwiringwani, denied Louis Fick access to 4,000 pigs on Fick's Friedewil Farm. Mr Mashwiringani's tactics were a calculated attempt to use animal cruelty to force the farmer to give up more livestock pens. Farm employees working on Friedewil Farm were also beaten by thugs loyal to the Deputy Governor.
I've left other episodes aside. The combination of police, military and central bankers is quite an indictment (JMM maybe wrong word) of the baron state Zimbabwe is.
From: http://www.sokwanele.com/
Mugabe signals new elections
The arrogance of corrupt power knows no limits...
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Mugabe says Zimbabwe power-sharing has 'short life,' signals new elections
Harare, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe says the fragile power-sharing government in his country "was given a short life" and he intends to reclaim control through new elections.
"Elections are not far off," Mugabe told his Zanu-PF party Saturday. "The inclusive government was given a short life. The remaining part of it is short. In fact it has lived more than half its life."
One of ZANU founders speaks out
http://www.swradioafrica.com/pages/hotseat211209.htm
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SW RADIO AFRICA TRANSCRIPT BROADCAST: 18 DECEMBER 2009 HOT SEAT INTERVIEW: Violet Gonda's guest is Enos Nkala,one of the founders of the Zimbabwe African National Union, with his thoughts on the current political situation. Controversy also surrounds his role in the Gukurahundi massacres that led to the death of 20,000 people in Matabeleland and Midlands in the 1980's, but in this interview the veteran nationalist denies carrying out instructions that led to the killings. He lays the blame squarely on Zanu-PF's president Robert Mugabe and current Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was Ministerof State Security from 1982 to 1988.
It is a quite long interview and only partly read so far.
New constitution in 2010?
I'd missed this news that the 'Kariba Draft constitution' was to have a round of public consultation and a vote until an email arrived from a Zimbabwean e-list. For further details see: www.sokwanele.com/zimbabweconstitution
Which cites:
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Zimbabweans will be asked to vote on a new draft constitution when it is finally ready. The public outreach programme, intended to gather the views of the people, is scheduled to start early in the new year.
Missing is any date for the vote. Just a reminder a new constitution drafted by ZANU-PF under President Mugabe was rejected in a vote a few years ago, much to his surprise and anger.
No-one I expect in Zimbabwe is under any illusions how the 'public consultation' will go, let alone any future vote.