Combate-se na província de Tete

Reports indicate that hundreds of Mozambicans are fleeing into Malawi’s Mwanza district amid growing hostilities in the neighbouring country between the government and opposition RENAMO, according to Zodiak Malawi on Saturday, July 11. The affected areas include Mkondezi, Monjo and Angonia. Reports also indicate the hostilities are spreading to Angonia Province. Mwanza District Council has since raised a security alert after receiving about 700 people seeking refuge there; most of them children. Over the last couple of years Mozambique has been on the blink of a repeat of the bloody 16-year civil war that started in 1977 between the military and the opposition RENAMO. Most of the Mozambicans fleeing into Malawi are using unchartered routes, said authorities in a first report released on Thursday, July 9, by the district council signed by district commissioner Gift Rapozo “There are about 678 Mozambicans, mostly children at 415 that have been recorded as seeking asylum as a result of the civil unrest that broke out last week Friday on 3rd July,” said the report. The refugees are mostly camped at Kasipe II in the area of Senior Inkosi Kanduku and are coming into the country through Neno and Chikhwawa. There are fears of an increase in criminal activity as the Mozambicans have no source of livelihood and some are reported to have brought in weapons, said some sources at the council. Some of the fleeing opposition cadres are reportedly carrying some weapons from the fighting into the country [Malawi], the report has noted saying this could be a potential hazard to the country’s security. Speaking to Zodiak in an Interview, Mwanza District Council Disaster Risk and Management Desk Officer Jarvis Mwenechanya said the major challenge facing the people is food and shelter. He said the poor conditions they are living in have brought fears of disease outbreak. He has called on wellwishers and nongovernmental organizations to help the displaced that comprise of 113 families. A visit by Zodiak to border villages in Thambani and Mpandasoni in the area of sub traditional Authority Govati and Kasuza in Senior Chief Kanduku’s area confirmed the development. The district council has advised all chiefs and traditional leaders to register all displaced individuals for an actual scope and scale of the mass entry of the Mozambicans into Malawi. About one million people died in the 1977-1992 civil war and five million more fled to other parts of the country and abroad, including Malawi, which hosted many of the refugees. The latest fighting comes barely a year after President Filipe Nyusi was elected as the leader of the governing FRELIMO and president of Mozambique, and shortly after the country celebrated its 40 years of self-rule from Portugal. FRELIMO continues to face strong opposition from RENAMO as the party never accepted the 2014 October general election results and considers the outcome fraudulent. It has boycotted parliament and is calling for autonomy in some six provinces in the country in protest. Source: Zodiak Malawi online

PAIGC condena Presidente Vaz

Ao Comité Central reunido na sua 1ª sessão ordinária do corrente ano, no Salão Nobre “Amílcar Cabral” da sua Sede Nacional chegou a informação de que Deputados cujos mandatos foram ontem suspensos por deliberação da Comissão Permanente da Assembleia Nacional Popular, se deslocaram ao Leste do país sob forte escolta do Comando do Batalhão de Bafatá, por instrução do Estado-Maior General das Forças Armadas e por solicitação expressa do Senhor Presidente da República. Este acto constitui uma violação flagrante daquilo que devem ser as relações com as Forças Armadas, para além de violar o sagrado dever das nossas gloriosas Forças Armadas. Assim, no uso das suas competências estatutárias, o Comité Central tomando conhecimento do facto, rejeita e condena liminarmente a acção do Primeiro Magistrado da Nação e responsabiliza-o de todas as consequências que aí possam advir. O PAIGC exorta os seus dirigentes, militantes, simpatizantes e o povo guineense em geral a manterem-se serenos, mas vigilantes e encorajar as nossas gloriosas Forças Armadas a continuarem distantes e isentos dos assuntos políticos do país. Por outro lado, agradece e felicita a comunidade internacional pela atenção e acompanhamento destes graves e inaceitáveis factos e, recomenda a ECOMIB, bem como a CEDEAO, a UNIOGBIS, a União Africana e outras Instituições a manterem-se atentos e vigilantes por mais este atentado à legalidade democrática. Bissau, 16 de Janeiro de 2016. O Comité Central Obs: Dos 256 membros do Comité Central presentes, 255 votaram SIM, um NÃO e zero ABSTENÇÃO

Guiné-Bissau continua a arder

Tendo passado nesta última década de um pequeno e mal amanhado estado da África Ocidental para um claro narco-estado, como afirmam estudiosos da categoria de Patrick Chabal (de que em breve sairá um livro sobre o assunto), a Guiné-Bissau continua a arder, ao mais pequeno rastilho. O actual período de instabilidade política, mais um, entre tantos, começou em 12 de Agosto do ano passado, quando o Presidente José Mário Vaz, de 57 anos, natural de Cacheu, demitiu o primeiro-ministro Domingos Simões Pereira, líder do Partido Africano da Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde (PAIGC). Depois de um efémero Governo de iniciativa presidencial, liderado por Baciro Djá, e que o Supremo Tribunal considerou ilegal, o Presidente José Mário Vaz, um economista formado em Lisboa, aceitou dar posse a um novo executivo, liderado por uma das figuras mais antigas do PAIGC, Carlos Correia. Nas últimas semanas, porém, o programa de Governo apresentado por Carlos Correia não conseguiu passar na Assembleia, uma vez que mais de uma dúzia de deputados do velho PAIGC quebrou a disciplina de voto e se absteve. Perante tal facto, Abel Gomes, Adja Satú Camará Pinto, Adulai Bui, Amidu Keita, Bacai Sanhá Junior, Baciro Djá, Braima Camará, Eduardo Mamadu Baldé, Isabel Buscardini, Manuel Nascimento Lopes, Maria Aurora Sanhá, Rui Diã de Sousa, Soares Sambú, Tcherno Sanhá e Tomane Mane foram expulsos do partido e perderam o seu mandato parlamentar. Agora, com novos deputados, em substituição dos que se recusaram acatar as directrizes de Domingos Simões Pereira e de Carlos Correia, o executivo espera poder finalmente passar na Assembleia Nacional, de modo a que se cumpram as esperanças de uma Guiné melhor. Se acaso se mantivesse o impasse, se a equipa de Carlos Correia continuasse a não merecer a confiança de mais de metade dos deputados, o Presidente José Mário Vaz, um renegado do PAIGC, actualmente em conflito com a direcção de Domingos Simões Pereira, poderia ser tentado a promover uma vez mais um Governo de sua iniciativa, para o que contaria com o apoio do Partido da Renovação Social (PRS), o segundo do país. Partindo da hipótese de que se formaria então um executivo à base dos dissidentes do PAIGC e dos quadros do PRS, ele nunca seria coisa para durar muito tempo, sempre com a hipótese em aberto de o chefe de Estado dissolver a Assembleia Nacional e convocar novas legislativas, com a grande sobrecarga que isso iria ter no erário público. Entretanto, as casernas encontram-se em alerta, sempre com uma parte das Forças Armadas tentada a intervir, como já o fizeram uma série de vezes ao longo dos 42 anos de vida da Guiné-Bissau como um Estado independente. Em 1963, quando começou a luta armada, os independentistas congregados no PAIGC tinham uma direcção coesa nas pessoas de Amílcar Cabral, Aristides Pereira e Luís Cabral, mas depois disso muita coisa aconteceu, muitas divergências foram surgindo, ao longo das décadas. Agora, 53 anos decorridos sobre esses primeiros tempos de luta por um ideal comum, assiste-se a um conflito terrível entre diferentes facções do partido criado por aquele triunvirato, conflito esse que nem sequer é por motivos ideológicos, mas antes por um choque de personalidades e, até, por questões inerentes à partilha do bolo proveniente de negócios muito pouco lícitos. O ideal para a Guiné-Bissau poderia ser, muito bem, passar uma série de anos sob curadoria internacional, enquanto se apurassem responsabilidades quanto a quem é que a conduziu ao estado actual, e se castigassem os culpados, sem qualquer hipótese de voltarem à ribalta. Apenas uma nova geração de guineenses, com novos valores, é que talvez seja capaz de começar de novo; e de erguer enfim o país idealizado por Amílcar Cabral. Se isso não for feito, corre-se o risco de uma permanente alternância entre breves períodos de esperança e largas temporadas de incerteza, com o povo a sofrer. JH, para o África Monitor

Mugabe está há 23 dias de férias

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is now the Acting President, taking over from Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, who has been acting since President Mugabe went on his annual leave last month. President Mugabe has been on leave since December 24, 2015. "Please kindly note that as of today, Monday, 11th January 2016, Honourable Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is the Acting President of Zimbabwe in the absence of His Excellency the President, Cde R.G Mugabe, who is on his traditional annual vacation," read a statement signed by principal director in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Mr Regis Chikowore. This flies in the face of concoctions by the private media which have tried to set up the two Vice Presidents, alleging they belonged to two factions in Zanu-PF that were angling to replace President Mugabe. Just yesterday, the Daily News claimed that President Mugabe had "snubbed and humiliated" VP Mnangagwa by appointing VP Mphoko for the second consecutive time. The Herald

Pede-se a captura de Guillaume Soro

Selon nos informations, le Burkina Faso a émis un mandat d'arrêt international contre Guillaume Soro. Le président de l'Assemblée nationale ivoirienne est accusé par la justice militaire burkinabè d'avoir soutenu le putsch du général Gilbert Diendéré et de l'ex-RSP, à la mi-septembre. Cette fois, l’affaire prend une tournure judiciaire. Régulièrement mis en cause dans les médias depuis la divulgation d’écoutes téléphoniques supposées l’impliquant dans la tentative de coup d’État au Burkina Faso, à la mi-septembre, Guillaume Soro est désormais visé par un mandat d’arrêt international émis par la justice burkinabè. « Ce mandat d’arrêt signifie qu’il est recherché par la justice burkinabè pour être entendu sur un certain nombre de faits qui lui sont reprochés », confie notamment à Jeune Afrique une source sécuritaire proche de l’enquête. Le 23 décembre, Sita Sangaré, le directeur de la justice militaire en charge de l’enquête sur le putsch manqué du général Gilbert Diendéré et de l’ex-régiment de sécurité présidentielle (RSP), avait révélé que des « écoutes téléphoniques » avaient été versées au dossier, sans toutefois préciser leur contenu ni les interlocuteurs impliqués. L’ « affaire des écoutes » Le président de l’Assemblée nationale ivoirienne est fragilisé depuis le mois d’octobre et le début de l' »affaire des écoutes ». Selon plusieurs écoutes téléphoniques supposées, il aurait essayé, en collaboration avec Djibrill Bassolé, l’ancien ministre des Affaires étrangères de Blaise Compaoré, de soutenir les putschistes de l’ex-RSP lors de leur tentative de coup d’État à Ougadougou. Mi-décembre, la justice burkinabè avait émis un mandat d’arrêt international contre Blaise Compaoré, actuellement réfugié en Côte d’Ivoire, dans le cadre de l’enquête sur l’assassinat de l’ex-président Thomas Sankara. Cette requête est pour l’instant restée lettre morte à Abidjan. Tout laisse penser qu’il devrait en être de même pour Guillaume Soro, responsable politique ivoirien de premier plan faisant figure de potentiel successeur à Alassane Ouattara. Benjamin Roger Jeune Afrique

Mnangagwa quer suceder a Mugabe

Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has been feeling the heat in the intensifying succession war to succeed President Robert Mugabe, suffered a huge setback after First Lady Grace Mugabe scuttled his plans for a private meeting in Dubai with the veteran leader to clear the air on his status and future in the fractious ruling party, the Zimbabwe Independent can report. Mnangagwa, a long-time aide of Mugabe and one of two surviving members of Mugabe’s first post-Independence cabinet along with Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi, was widely believed to be the front-runner to succeed Mugabe after the December 2014 sacking of his long-time rival former vice-president Joice Mujuru. However, his fortunes have taken a knock with both Mugabe and Grace publicly suggesting that he may not be the successor. He is also facing renewed opposition from Generation 40, a group of young Turks seeking to weaken him by expelling his key allies from the party. Those targeted for immediate expulsion include his close ally July Moyo, War Veterans minister Chris Mutsvangwa, legislators Justice Mayor Wadyajena (Gokwe-Nembudziya constituency) and Owen Ncube (Gokwe-Kana). According to sources, it was in the context of such raging issues which are threatening his survival that Mnangagwa hired an expensive private jet to visit Mugabe, who is on annual vacation in Dubai, seeking to clear the air and possibly obtain assurances concerning his prospects of succeeding him. It is unclear who initiated the meeting, but Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko also left for Dubai on Monday to meet the Mugabes. Mnangagwa though, took his wife Auxilia with him and son Sean to Dubai where they dined with Mugabe, Grace, Mugabe’s daughter, Bona, and her husband Simba Chikore as well as Mugabe’s sons Robert Jr and Chatunga. Mnangagwa’s backers said he wanted to use the Dubai meeting to put his presidential ambitions back on track. “However, he was never afforded that opportunity by Grace who steadfastly remained by her husband’s side and never left him alone to allow for any private discussions to take place,” said a source close to the First Family. “Even the children, particularly Chatunga (Mugabe’s last-born son), were ever present and the most Mnangagwa got out of the visit were the normal family dinners”. The sources say although the Mugabes had approved the meetings, they had unkind words for the Vice-President when he left. The sources also said the First Family were not happy with the fact that their guests had hired a private plane which was formerly owned by the Malawian government and sold to an arms company by former Malawian president Joyce Banda. The plane was bought in 2013 by Bohnox Enterprises, a firm registered in the British Virgin Islands, which operates from South Africa, where it is loaned to VIPs by the jet company Fortune Air. Both companies are linked to Paramount Group, Africa’s largest private defence and aerospace firm. The sources say Mnangagwa offered Mugabe the use of the plane which the President politely declined. While Mnangagwa reportedly found no joy in his endeavours, some of his allies, particularly Wadyajena, posted statements and tweeted pictures of the Dubai meeting of the two families citing the pictures as proof that the two had a cordial and fruitful exchange. “Naked @ProfJNMoyo (Jonathan Moyo) busy fantasising Crocbustering while the real Crocodiles vachivaka nyika! Zvoto Zvinemazera! MaLevels asiyana,” tweeted Wadyajena last Saturday. The tweet meant that while Higher Education minister Prof Jonathan Moyo was fantasising about destroying Mnangagwa’s political career, Mnangagwa was actually busy working with Mugabe to plot the country’s future during his Dubai visit. The tweet was accompanied by two photographs, one showing Mugabe and Mnangagwa with their wives and children and the other a photoshoped image of a smiling half-naked Moyo riding on a crocodile he had subdued. Ngwena (crocodile) is Mnangagwa’s moniker. However, sources close to the First Family say the tweet was an attempt to cover for the disappointment of Mnangagwa’s abortive trip. Mnangagwa has suggested in the past that he sees himself as Mugabe’s natural successor, citing his long ties with him as his aide as well as claiming to be the only surviving member of the party’s original politburo which was formed in 1977 when Mugabe replaced Ndabaningi Sithole as Zanu leader. During an interview with London-based New African magazine last August, Mnangagwa said he had learnt a lot from Mugabe since they started working together at the formation of Zanu in 1963 — a factor that should place him in good stead to succeed him. However, Grace has shown on several occasions that she does not share Mnangagwa’s views and last August, during a visit to Binga in Matabeleland North province, she warned both vice-presidents were not guaranteed to succeed her husband. – TheZimInd

Desmentido que Mugabe esteja gravemente doente

HARARE - Government yesterday denied rumours that President Robert Mugabe is seriously ill in Dubai, plagued by a heart ailment. Mugabe’s spokesperson George Charamba denied that Mugabe was unwell. “It is just a rumour, enjoy it. I don’t even want to talk about it, bye-bye,” Charamba told the Daily News by phone yesterday. Social media in Zimbabwe was abuzz with speculation over the health of 91-year-old Mugabe, currently on a month-long annual vacation. Mugabe has undergone several bouts of therapy in Asia in recent years. Presently, there is a festering war in the strife-torn ruling Zanu PF over the frail nonagenarian’s state of health and his capacity to remain at the helm of the country. This comes as the strongman tumbled at the Harare International Airport in February last year, stumbled in New Delhi in October at an India-Africa summit, and had to resort to a wheelchair at the 60th Asian-African Conference Commemoration that was held in Indonesia during the same month. The hullabaloo about the well-being of Mugabe in part reflects the ugly divisions that continue to devour the ruling party, and the myriad ambitious bigwigs already thinking about life after the nonagenarian, who is increasingly showing signs of advanced age and declining health. However, health experts say for a person who is 91, Mugabe is in remarkably good health. Daily News