Chamisa’s election appeal forces Mnangagwa inauguration to be put on hold
Welcome to Zitamar’s daily Zimbabwe briefing for 13 August, 2018.
Today is Heroes’ Day in Zimbabwe, when the country remembers those who fought for its liberation. But liberation means different things to different people; for some, for example, today is an opportunity to remember Morgan Tsvangirai, who died this year without realising his own liberation dream.
Tomorrow is another public holiday - Defence Forces’ Day. The target of that commemoration is less open to debate - but what is debatable is whether people will feel any cause for celebration.
Today’s Headlines:
Chamisa’s election appeal forces Mnangagwa inauguration to be put on hold
Chamisa to face opposition at 2019 MDC Congress
Zim keeps working to lift US ‘sanctions’
Economy burns while politicians fight
Zimbabwe to earn $3.5bn from mining, minister says
Chamisa’s election appeal forces Mnangagwa inauguration to be put on hold (The Herald, NewZimbabwe, NewsDay)
MDC Alliance presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa finally filed his application last Friday at the constitutional court, challenging the July 30th election results declaring Zanu PF candidate Emmerson Mnangagwa the winner. The court application meant Mnangagwa could not be inaugurated as planned on Sunday.
Zanu-PF lawyers who are expected to file a counter-application say the MDC Alliance application was too late to force a recount, but the Constitutional Court can still overturn the result, or order a runoff vote, or order the whole election to be rerun, as Veritas points out.
The MDC Alliance application cites irregularities including the disenfranchisement of 40,000 teachers who were working as polling officers, and the disappearance of 21 polling stations on election day. Read the full application here.
The MDC Alliance may have a strong case, that will put the judicial system under immense pressure. The world is watching whether the judicial system can prove that it is independent of the ruling party.
Chamisa to face opposition at 2019 MDC Congress (NewsDay)
The disharmony and scramble for positions within the Chamisa-led MDC T party continues - with a new campaign to replace Chamisa with the party’s Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora. His supporters have already set up social media accounts pushing his 2019 agenda (It’s Mwonzora’s Time!), but a youth secretary of the party, James Chidhakwa, said the youth remained firmly behind Chamisa. “Democracy will allow people to contest at the 2019 congress. That is what will happen, but make no mistake, for the youth, we are clear that he remains our choice.” But if Chamisa’s challenge to the election result is unsuccessful, Mwonzora’s supporters plan to use that against him.
The Alliance is a marriage of convenience between various parties, meaning Chamisa will not have full control of those lawmakers and councillors that won seats under the Alliance banner but originally belonged to other parties. There are plans to register the MDC Alliance as a party, which could renew tensions between its constituent parts.
Zim keeps working to lift US ‘sanctions’ (The Herald, NewsDay, VoA)
Zimbabwe has said it will continue to engage with the US to have sanctions lifted. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Sibusiso Moyo said on Sunday that the latest extension will not stop the rapprochement that started in November “as we together seek to restore our bilateral relations to normalcy.”
There is some confusion over US ‘sanctions’; the ZIDERA act that was renewed last week stops the US from voting in favour of new financing from international finance institutions, but Zimbabwe has been ineligible for that since 1999 anyway, according to this State Dept Q&A. There is a list of sanctioned individuals and companies, which features President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy, Constantino Chiwenga while the UK list only has Robert and Grace Mugabe, and Zimbabwe Defence Industries.
The election aftermath has complicated Mnangagwa’s re-engagement efforts with the US; the outcome of Chamisa’s appeal against the election result will also determine the course of action the US ultimately takes.
Economy burns while politicians fight (Daily News)
The political stalemate over the presidential election coupled with general unrest in the country will hurt the economy, with increases in the prices of some commodities and shortages of cash, foreign currency and fuel, the Daily News reports today.
Economic consultant John Robertson said the dispute over who won the presidential race could discourage investors from taking a punt on Zimbabwe. “Some may even abandon the whole idea of investing here altogether. So, I think the unrest may cost the country millions of dollars that may now not come in, or may take a little longer to come in.”
Mnangagwa built his campaign on a promise of a Zimbabwe that’s open for business - something he already seems to have failed to deliver. But the really important thing from his point of view is that he and his military henchmen have been returned to power.
Zimbabwe to earn $3.5bn from mining, minister says (The Sunday Mail)
The mining sector is on track to earn $3.5 billion this year, up from $2.6 billion last year thanks to increased production, according to mining minister Winston Chitando - who singled out gold, diamonds, chrome, coal, nickel and lithium for the expected revenue growth. Gold output could hit a record 35 tonnes by the end of the year, while three million carats of diamond are expected to be mined, up from 1.8 million last year.
The mining sector has been the biggest destination of much of the investment that has come into the country since November 2017.
Tweet of the Day
Happy Heroes Day Zimbabwe 🇿🇼
I am truly grateful to the people who died and those who gave up their youth and sacrificed for this beautiful Zimbabwe.
Grateful for modern heroes Itai Dzamara and Morgan Tsvangirai who continued to fight for our democracy ❤️#Zimbabwe
August 13, 2018Happening Today
Happy Heroes Day Zimbabwe 🇿🇼
I am truly grateful to the people who died and those who gave up their youth and sacrificed for this beautiful Zimbabwe.
Grateful for modern heroes Itai Dzamara and Morgan Tsvangirai who continued to fight for our democracy ❤️#Zimbabwe
Zanu-PF files opposing papers in Nelson Chamisa presidential election result petition
President Mnangagwa officiates at Heroes Day at the National Heroes’ Acre in Harare