What you may have missed August 6-10

Two Chicago men charged with trying to help Mugabe bust sanctions – Two men from Chicago Prince Asiel ben Israel and Gregory Turner, who called themselves the “Chicago connection”, were today charged with trying to help President Robert Mugabe bust United States sanctions on him and his government. Ben Israel and Turner attempted to persuade undisclosed federal and state government officials — including an Illinois state senator and two US representatives from Chicago — to push for the lifting of the sanctions. The two reached a consulting agreement with Zimbabwe officials to be paid $3.4 million but it was unclear whether they received any money.

Mugabe brushes off poll criticism

President Robert Mugabe today rejected Western criticism of his re-election and vowed to press ahead with nationalist economic policies transferring majority stakes in foreign-owned firms to blacks. Citing the United States and Britain, Mugabe said: “But now they, even as the whole of Africa is sending us messages of congratulations to say ‘well done’, they say the elections were not free. And where are they talking? London and Washington and Ottawa.” Insisting that he will go ahead with his indigenisation plans, Mugabe said:“All the time we must take into account our policy of indigenisation and empowerment. ……Our task is to look ahead. What we say we shall do, we will do.”

How ZANU-PF wrestled seats in Harare from MDC

The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front wrestled seats from the Movement for Democratic Change by targeting constituencies held by senior Movement for Democratic Change officials, reports said today. The party won six seats in Harare including those held by Theresa Makone and Jameson Timba, both from MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s inner circle- often dubbed the kitchen cabinet but failed to unseat Tendai Biti. “We identified a need that we could realistically deliver on, and we ran with it. There were particular seats we targeted four years ago for strategic reasons, which we set out to win. We got most of them.”

Tsvangirai files court papers against Mugabe win

Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai today filed a Constitutional Court election petition calling for the nullification of the 31 July presidential election arguing that there were a number of irregularities among them vote buying by President Robert Mugabe. The application was filed by his lawyer Chris Mhike. Tsvangirai said Mugabe bribed voters with food and household items, which is a breach of the electoral laws.

Makone admits ZANU-PF caught them off guard

Movement for Democratic Change women’s leader Theresa Makone today admitted that ZANU PF’s electoral victory caught them off guard and left them shocked. “It was quite a shock. I didn’t see it coming. The party didn’t expect such a result and it explains ZANU PF’s insistence to have polls on July 31st or else the plan would have unfolded if there had been delays. Any further delays like a month or two would have meant us getting the electronic voters roll, which would have allowed us to analyse and perhaps detected the gross anomalies,” Makone said.

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