The nine member states, which had signed the protocol on the free movement of citizens were Botswana, the DRC, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

Full Beeb story here. As the Dude might say “That’s fucking interesting man.”

In other Zim news, two people were crushed in a sugar shopping stampede. Here. I can’t even fathom what it [...]]]>

Australia says it will deport eight Zimbabwean university students whose parents are senior members of the government of President Robert Mugabe.

Full Beeb story here. As the Dude might say “That’s fucking interesting man.”

In other Zim news, two people were crushed in a sugar shopping stampede. Here. I can’t even fathom what it must be like to a Zimbabwean right now. Me thinks the Grinch’s heart needs to cease to beat.

Finally as a follow up to the SADC summit news from yesterday it seems that SADC officals are keeping a lid on Mbeki’s report on the political climate/situation/travesty in Zimbabwe. Story here. Could it be that they are just embarrassed to release Mbeki’s musings?
“Bob is my hero. Bob should not be as bad as he is, oh I mean bad as in good bad. I swoon for Bobby. We held hands and gazed into one another’s eyes for hours. No one shall bad mouth my Bobby. Sincerely, Thabo “Bob’s #1 Fan” Mbeki“

“[Climate change] is an issue that is gaining relevance with the region, the continent and indeed globally. I refer to the fact that all reports are [...]]]> In Lesotho food crisis news: Climate change has not been kind to Southern Africa. Lesotho is in the midst of the effects of the worst drought in thirty years.

“[Climate change] is an issue that is gaining relevance with the region, the continent and indeed globally. I refer to the fact that all reports are indicating that Africa will suffer the worst effects of this phenomenon,” said UN Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad.

I am not even sure that Southern Africa knows that the stick has a long end to it. Full story here.

In Zim news: Bobby got some applause from SADC… In other news SADC said “Constant Ambivalence!” and then went away for a month until their next “event.” Story here.
Though Zimbabwean Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa did have this gem:

“There are no political reforms necessary in my country,” the minister told reporters shortly before the summit began. “We have a democracy like any other democracy in the world.”

In other SADC news Mosisili is out and Angola is in. Obligatory flag:
Finally SADC is starting a rapid deployment force to ensure that no Mosotho ever touches the Katse Dam. Wait that wasn’t how the press release read… Story here.

Full story here.

Which means that SADC is ready to do something about/to/for Lesotho. Like impose a curfew. [...]]]>

Opposition leader Tom Thabane’s home was attacked, as were some homes of other Lesotho cabinet members.
Violence could not be used to try and destabilise Lesotho, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad said on Thursday.

Full story here.

Which means that SADC is ready to do something about/to/for Lesotho. Like impose a curfew.
Also they plan on bringing in mediation:

Former Botswana President Ketumile Masire will fly on Sunday to Lesotho where he will try to ease political tensions after a disputed parliamentary election.

Lesotho has the capacity to resolve its political problems if the adversaries set aside their differences and channel their energies towards peace and nation-building.

Oh word? Apparently Lesotho just needs to believe in itself and all the problems will go away. perhaps some motivational posters would be in order. Something like a kitten hanging [...]]]>

Lesotho has the capacity to resolve its political problems if the adversaries set aside their differences and channel their energies towards peace and nation-building.

Oh word? Apparently Lesotho just needs to believe in itself and all the problems will go away. perhaps some motivational posters would be in order. Something like a kitten hanging by one paw and saying “Hold On.” Or maybe this frog…
Anyway I don’t see it. I especially do not see anyone who is in any position to preach on it. Whatever, at least the article author isn’t from Zimbabwe. Oh wait, yes he is… Full story here. Stay tuned.

The Commonwealth group, which was in Lesotho last week to examine Lesotho’s post-election fight over allocation of PR seats, promised to [...]]]> In other news not a whole lot is happening…
SADC met the other day and came to the conclusion that they were going to need to bring in some experts. Public Eye story here.

The Commonwealth group, which was in Lesotho last week to examine Lesotho’s post-election fight over allocation of PR seats, promised to bring in two experts from Ireland and Australia to probe whether the allocation of seats under the Proportional Representation (PR) system was done proportionately.

The Public Eye has a second story here, which says absolutely nothing… However it seems that all sides are firm in their commitment to resolve this issue peacefully. Khosto.

A follow-up meeting between the Southern African Development Community (SADC) troika, the five opposition parties, the IEC, churches and the Lesotho Council of non-governmental organisations would take place on Thursday. [...]]]> SADC is in town. Party at the Sun!
Maybe some news on results by Friday, but it sounds more like Monday. Stories here and here.

A follow-up meeting between the Southern African Development Community (SADC) troika, the five opposition parties, the IEC, churches and the Lesotho Council of non-governmental organisations would take place on Thursday. The meeting was expected to continue on Friday and Saturday.

Good thing that they have the churches involved. Perhaps they can bring the old Pope-mobile into the resolution somehow. I think it would lend a certain legitimacy to the proceedings.

Does this mean that the “strike” has been called off? I am confused. This is from a SADC meeting that [...]]]>

There are some differences about proportional representation and the SADC secretariat has been intervening — that is why the three-day strike was called off — and conditions have been created for all parties to dialogue.

Does this mean that the “strike” has been called off? I am confused. This is from a SADC meeting that just took place in Lesotho. Read the full story here.

We hope that this small matter about proportional representation can be resolved with the assistance of SADC.

In other words: It’s nice to know that we could always bring in SA troops and light the place up… No? Let’s see what happens.
The article also notes that the SADC council was careful not to address Zimbabwe, which, of course, is awful nice of them.

The Famine Early Warning System says the cereal balance sheet projects a shortfall in maize – the staple food – of some 850,000 tonnes. By December only 152,600 tonnes had been delivered, meaning widespread hunger looks set to continue. The monitors say Zimbabwe’s lack of foreign currency [...]]]> From the “never saw that one coming…” department:

The Famine Early Warning System says the cereal balance sheet projects a shortfall in maize – the staple food – of some 850,000 tonnes.
By December only 152,600 tonnes had been delivered, meaning widespread hunger looks set to continue.
The monitors say Zimbabwe’s lack of foreign currency is a key problem.

Full BBC story here.

This one is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. Mugabe’s actions have directly lead to Zimbabwe falling off the map of world media attention, for better and for much worse. The inability of everyone in the SADC region to say anything (read Thabo Mbeki) has only served to further this. Bob passed years ago.

I think that many know that Zimbabwe’s situation and the inevitable course of resolution (whatever that may be) is going to be something akin to a watershed moment for Southern Africa. The politics of Zimbabwe have always been sticky, but oh how the mighty have fallen and now everyone finds that their tongues are tied when it comes to speaking about Bob.

This op-ed piece from Kigali serves to highlight some of the issues and shows how messy the situation is.

Millions have fled Zimbabwe or died from hunger, disease and violence. The life expectancy is barely half what it was 15 years ago and the economy has shrunk by 40 per cent this century. And it is all the work of dictator Robert Mugabe and his partners in crime who have entrenched their political power and economic authority by torturing, starving and killing their own people.

On a related note South Africa deported 109,532 Zimbabweans in 2006. Here.