http://www.voanews.com Voice of America is an international news and broadcast organization serving Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Balkan countries http://www.voanews.com/img/voa/rssLogo_VOA.gif http://www.voanews.com en-US 2012 - VOA 60 Tue, 21 May 2013 23:19:11 -0400 Pangea CMS – VOA Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Friday declared President Robert Mugabe’s party “dead.”  Tsvangirai said the African country’s next elections will be a “formality” and predicted a landslide victory.   The lead vocalist is Zimbabwe’s prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai.  The backing vocals are from the leadership of his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.  The event Friday was not a musical program, but part of a three-day national policy ... http://www.voanews.com/content/Zimbabwe-tsvangirai-says-mugabe-party-is-dead/1663334.html http://www.voanews.com/content/Zimbabwe-tsvangirai-says-mugabe-party-is-dead/1663334.html Fri, 17 May 2013 14:55:47 -0400 Africa Sebastian Mhofu Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has made a plea for peace in the upcoming elections.  Zimbabwe's last elections in 2008 were disrupted by a campaign of violence by Mugabe's supporters against the opposition MDC party.  Addressing thousands of people in Harare Thursday to mark the country’s 33rd anniversary of independence, President Robert Mugabe pleaded with Zimbabweans to be peaceful as the country prepares for elections. "So I say you are all ... http://www.voanews.com/content/mugabe-makes-plea-for-peaceful-elections-in-zimbabwe/1644195.html http://www.voanews.com/content/mugabe-makes-plea-for-peaceful-elections-in-zimbabwe/1644195.html Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:39:01 -0400 Africa Sebastian Mhofu Zimbabwe's government has failed to raise money for elections, but South Africa has approved $100 million in funding which will be used to pay for the polls, Finance Minister Tendai Biti told journalists. However, he said South Africa has approved $100 million in budgetary support to Harare, which will be used to pay for the polls. “We are already under pressure, being stifled, being suffocated with fiscal pressures," Biti said. "I'm aware the South African cabinet has ... http://www.voanews.com/content/south-africa-agrees-to-fund-zimbabwe-elections/1641880.html http://www.voanews.com/content/south-africa-agrees-to-fund-zimbabwe-elections/1641880.html Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:01:45 -0400 Africa Sebastian Mhofu http://www.voanews.com/content/south-africa-agrees-to-fund-zimbabwe-elections/1641880.html#relatedInfoContainer In Zimbabwe, the Swiss government has given $6 million to the U.N. Children's Fund to improve the country’s water and sanitation. The African country still has significant numbers of people sharing water sources with animals, and an even greater number who do not have access to a working bathroom. In Zimbabwe’s capital, luxury cars of all models are seen in the streets.  But just outside the capital, there is poverty.  It gets worse in the rural areas where some people go their ... http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-water-sanitation-switzerland/1638053.html http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-water-sanitation-switzerland/1638053.html Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:18:34 -0400 Africa Sebastian Mhofu Zimbabwe’s High Court has ruled that President Robert Mugabe can postpone by-elections for vacant parliament seats which a superior court had ordered last year.  After hearing the arguments of the President Mugabe's lawyers and for Zimbabweans who want immediate by-elections, High Court chief Justice George Chiweshe said Mugabe’s plea had carried the day. Tawanda Zhuwarara is from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, which represented those demanding polls to fill parliamentary ... http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-court-rules-out-a-mini-general-election/1635666.html http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-court-rules-out-a-mini-general-election/1635666.html Fri, 05 Apr 2013 13:38:31 -0400 Africa Sebastian Mhofu http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-court-rules-out-a-mini-general-election/1635666.html#relatedInfoContainer A court in Zimbabwe has ordered the release of aides to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who were arrested along with a prominent human-rights lawyer about two weeks ago.  The High Court judge ordered the release of officials on bail of $500 each.  The four officials were arrested on March 17, a day after Zimbabwe voters overwhelmingly approved a new constitution. A renowned human-rights lawyer who tried to seek their release was freed Monday.   The officials were ... http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-court-bail-tsvangirai-aides/1629751.html http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-court-bail-tsvangirai-aides/1629751.html Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:43:36 -0400 Africa Sebastian Mhofu http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-court-bail-tsvangirai-aides/1629751.html#relatedInfoContainer Preliminary results from Zimbabwe’s constitutional referendum show the draft will be approved, paving the way for new elections later this year. However, tensions flared after members of the opposition were arrested. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission says preliminary results show the draft constitution will be overwhelmingly approved. The results are posted outside all polling stations where ballot counting is complete. The new constitution curbs the powers of the president and imposes a ... http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-draft-constitution-referendum/1623860.html http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-draft-constitution-referendum/1623860.html Mon, 18 Mar 2013 14:07:10 -0400 Africa Sebastian Mhofu http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-draft-constitution-referendum/1623860.html#relatedInfoContainer Zimbabweans vote Saturday on a new constitution after decades of using a charter given to them by former colonial power Britain. Both sides of the political spectrum say they want the proposed constitution to pass, and have been actively campaigning for it. But some voters and Zimbabwean civic groups says the charter does not represent the wishes of ordinary people.   The signs are hard to miss in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital.   VOTE YES, blare billboards that show the proposed ... http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-constitution-referendum/1622261.html http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-constitution-referendum/1622261.html Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:43:12 -0400 Africa Sebastian Mhofu http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-constitution-referendum/1622261.html#relatedInfoContainer Non-governmental organizations in Zimbabwe have petitioned President Robert Mugabe’s government to protest the electoral commission refusal to accredit them to observe Saturday’s constitutional referendum.  After a meeting with President Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who was given a copy of the NGOs’ petition, said the groups had a case against the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).   “If they have already announced that they will boycott I will persuade them to go ... http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-constitutional-referendum/1620253.html http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-constitutional-referendum/1620253.html Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:27:02 -0400 Africa Sebastian Mhofu An African think-tank says Zimbabwe is not yet ready to hold free and fair elections.  Citing the limited space for opposition politics and general lack of tolerance for political dissent in the African nation, the Institute for Democracy in Southern Africa said even the constitutional referendum set for next week will reflect mainly the wishes of the country’s main political parties.  In a report titled “Compromise or Compromised,” the Pretoria-based Institute for Democracy in ... http://www.voanews.com/content/democracy-group-zimbabwe-not-ready-for-elections/1617960.html http://www.voanews.com/content/democracy-group-zimbabwe-not-ready-for-elections/1617960.html Fri, 08 Mar 2013 13:01:52 -0500 Africa Sebastian Mhofu A court in Zimbabwe has dismissed a petition by pro-democracy groups to delay the March 16 date for a referendum on a new constitution. The groups argued the date does not give Zimbabweans enough time to look over the new charter. The civic organizations’ lawyer said he will appeal the ruling.   In Harare Thursday, Judge George Chiweshe dismissed an application by the National Constitutional Assembly, or NCA, to delay next month's constitutional referendum. Alec Muchadehama, the ... http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-court-dismisses-referendum-challenge/1612700.html http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-court-dismisses-referendum-challenge/1612700.html Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:42:19 -0500 Africa Sebastian Mhofu Journalists and human rights lawyers in Zimbabwe said they are worried by authorities’ seizure of radios and mobile equipment that receive stations other than the state-controlled broadcaster. The development comes as the African country prepares for a constitutional referendum in March and elections later in the year.  Civic organizations in Zimbabwe said the seizure of radios by the police - first reported earlier this week - will result in people not making informed decisions on the ... http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-authorities-seize-radios-mobile-receivers/1611153.html http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-authorities-seize-radios-mobile-receivers/1611153.html Tue, 26 Feb 2013 12:33:59 -0500 Africa Sebastian Mhofu http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-authorities-seize-radios-mobile-receivers/1611153.html#relatedInfoContainer The U.S. government has called on the government of Zimbabwe to ensure that uniformed police forces act professionally as the African country prepares to hold elections.  Visiting U.S. officials say credible elections could result in Washington lifting economic sanctions on the African nation’s leadership. U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of African Affairs, Reuben Brigety, told journalists in Harare on Friday that Zimbabwe's government has improved the lives of ... http://www.voanews.com/content/credible-zimbabwe-elections-could-mean-end-of-us-sanctions/1608966.html http://www.voanews.com/content/credible-zimbabwe-elections-could-mean-end-of-us-sanctions/1608966.html Fri, 22 Feb 2013 12:29:09 -0500 Africa Sebastian Mhofu http://www.voanews.com/content/credible-zimbabwe-elections-could-mean-end-of-us-sanctions/1608966.html#relatedInfoContainer In Zimbabwe, some pro-democracy groups have taken the government to court, saying the planned date of March 16 for a constitutional referendum does not give Zimbabweans enough time to examine the new charter. The civic organizations say they want the referendum postponed. Zimbabwe's main political parties - ZANU-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change [MDC] - both support the new charter, and agreed a referendum on it should take place March 16. But Lovemore Madhuku, who heads the ... http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe_ngos_challenge_government_over_referendum_date/1606669.html http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe_ngos_challenge_government_over_referendum_date/1606669.html Tue, 19 Feb 2013 13:07:31 -0500 Africa Sebastian Mhofu http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe_ngos_challenge_government_over_referendum_date/1606669.html#relatedInfoContainer The European Union has eased its Zimbabwe sanctions, lifting travel bans on six members of the government and an asset freeze on an additional 21 Zimbabweans. The EU first imposed sanctions on individual Zimbabweans in 2002, in response to alleged human rights abuses and disregard for rule of law by the government of President Robert Mugabe.  Addressing journalists Monday, the European Union ambassador to Zimbabwe, Aldo Dell’Aricia, said the easing of sanctions followed the drafting of a ... http://www.voanews.com/content/european_union_eases_sanctions_against_zimbabwe/1606077.html http://www.voanews.com/content/european_union_eases_sanctions_against_zimbabwe/1606077.html Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:34:22 -0500 Africa Sebastian Mhofu http://www.voanews.com/content/european_union_eases_sanctions_against_zimbabwe/1606077.html#relatedInfoContainer The sudden announcement by Pope Benedict that he was stepping down was met with an outpouring of emotion in Zimbabwe Monday.  Some welcomed the possibility of an African being elected as the new pope, while others felt the country's president should take a hint from the outgoing one.  Citing advanced age, Pope Benedict, the 85-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church,  announced Monday that he would step down at the end of this month.  Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops ... http://www.voanews.com/content/hopes-for-an-african-pope-in-zimbabwe/1602227.html http://www.voanews.com/content/hopes-for-an-african-pope-in-zimbabwe/1602227.html Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:09:51 -0500 Africa Sebastian Mhofu http://www.voanews.com/content/hopes-for-an-african-pope-in-zimbabwe/1602227.html#relatedInfoContainer In Zimbabwe, a draft of the country’s new constitution has been presented to parliament.  Some civic organizations have already said they'll campaign against the draft constitution in the expected April referendum. Zimbabwe's main political parties, ZANU-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), plan to review the draft for about a month before the public has the final say in a constitutional referendum. Jessie Majome, the spokeswoman for COPAC, a committee drafting ... http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-parliament-draft-constitution/1597713.html http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-parliament-draft-constitution/1597713.html Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:43:48 -0500 Africa Sebastian Mhofu http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-parliament-draft-constitution/1597713.html#relatedInfoContainer When Zimbabwe's main political parties, Zanu-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), announced last week they had finally reached agreement on a new constitution, they did not reveal what caused the long delay.   It took the parties six months to finalize the draft that a parliamentary committee submitted to parliament. MDC politician Priscilla Misihairabwi said the process "wasn't easy." "The time we took was indicative that it was quite ... http://www.voanews.com/content/presidential-powers-reduced-under-zimbabwes-new-constitution/1590795.html http://www.voanews.com/content/presidential-powers-reduced-under-zimbabwes-new-constitution/1590795.html Fri, 25 Jan 2013 10:29:31 -0500 Africa Sebastian Mhofu http://www.voanews.com/content/presidential-powers-reduced-under-zimbabwes-new-constitution/1590795.html#relatedInfoContainer Leaders of Zimbabwe's main political parties said Thursday they have agreed on the contents of a new constitution, though it is not yet clear when a referendum on the document, whose passage would pave the way for elections to end the country's fragile, four-year-old coalition government, will be held.   Zimbabwe's two main political parties, ZANU-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change [MDC], have been at odds for months on the text of a new constitution, a draft of which ... http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-parties-mugabe-tsvangirai-draft-constitution/1585904.html http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-parties-mugabe-tsvangirai-draft-constitution/1585904.html Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:09:35 -0500 Africa Sebastian Mhofu The United Nations has launched a worldwide appeal for humanitarian assistance to Zimbabwe.  The U.N. acknowledged there already had been some improvements in Zimbabwe’s humanitarian situation. Alain Noudehou, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Zimbabwe, launched the $131 million appeal on Tuesday.  He said the fund would be aimed at addressing ongoing food shortages, waterborne disease outbreaks and issues affecting Zimbabweans deported from neighboring countries. “We ... http://www.voanews.com/content/UN-launches-worldwide-appeal-for-zimbabwe-aid/1584379.html http://www.voanews.com/content/UN-launches-worldwide-appeal-for-zimbabwe-aid/1584379.html Tue, 15 Jan 2013 14:12:28 -0500 Africa Sebastian Mhofu http://www.voanews.com/content/UN-launches-worldwide-appeal-for-zimbabwe-aid/1584379.html#relatedInfoContainer