Top stories for November 6 – 10

£15 000 reward – A British family has offered a reward of £15 000 (about $25 000)for information about the death of Robert Wood in Bulawayo last year. Wood, a former Special Air Services solider, was found hanging in March at the home he shared with his girlfriend Henrietta Dube. Police said this was a suicide but his family believe he was murdered. Wood was running a gold mine on behalf of investors. Dube’s other boyfriend Bhekithemba Nyoni quickly moved in following Wood’s death. Wood was married and had two children. His family was in the United Kingdom. Wood’s brother Ian, who lives in Dover, said it was very important that the family found out what happened. “We don’t believe he committed suicide. We believe he was murdered. We want to get some final closure. If it is left open there is still a niggling question at the back of your mind,” he said.

Mugabe says no secrecy in awarding hunting licences
President Robert Mugabe today called for transparency in the allocation of hunting licences saying the current operations are shrouded in secrecy. “We cannot run a country like that, a situation where we have forests and our people are excluded from them. We do not know what is happening there. We do not know the activities taking place, less still we do not know how much money they are getting and how that money is accounted for. The way people come in and out seems to be done in secrecy. We do not know what the Boers are doing in the forests.” Whent old that the licences were awarded by tender Mugabe went on: “A tender which only a Minister might know. Why can’t it be open like what happens on the farms.”

Tsvangirai says ZANU-PF can’t rig economy
Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai today said although the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front stole the 31 July elections, it cannot rig the economy. “I want to tell you that you won the 31 July election. You did not lose it, but it is Robert Mugabe who stole the election and is causing a national crisis and I will not let you down until we achieve democratic change. Although ZANU- PF stole the election, it cannot steal the economy,” he said in Chitungwiza.

Zimbabwe dollar might be reintroduced earlier
A leading Zimbabwean economic analyst Tony Hawkins says the government might be forced to reintroduce the Zimbabwe dollar much earlier because of the tightening liquidity in the economy. Reports today quoted Hawkins as saying: “I suspect – perhaps fear – that the government will opt for some dual currency option. Given the IMF forecast of a sluggish global economy and the third successive year of decline in non-fuel commodity prices, Zimbabwe can expect little in terms of an external stimulus to growth. This means growth must be domestically-driven in an economy where the government budget is under enormous pressure and there is no scope for a fiscal stimulus.”

Tsvangirai cut out
Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai is grounded, reports said today. According to the Standard, his party is refusing to fund his trips across the country because it wants him to step down following his defeat in July. “Mangoma has refused to fund the tours claiming they were not budgeted for. The tours are essential to thwart any leadership renewal calls. This is in contrast to what he should be doing. Once the national executive makes a decision he is obliged to do so, however this time around he didn’t. It is shocking that Tsvangirai is funding the visits from his own pocket, and that is the reason they had to reschedule the trips.”

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