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Bishop calls for dialogue in Zimbabwe
Bame Piet, Mmegi (Botswana)
August 05, 2005

http://www.mmegi.bw/2005/August/Friday5/4199545041094.html

President of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, Bishop Trevor Manhanga has said that there is need for political parties in Zimbabwe to sit down and discuss their differences and reach a consensus.

He told a seminar in Gaborone organised by Ditshwanelo to discuss Zimbabwe that the ruling ZANU-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic change (MDC) do not have a rift and could come together to build the country. He said there are brilliant ideas from both sides which only need to be merged for the benefit of the country. Manhanga said calls for change of regime would not help and Zimbabweans have accepted President Robert Mugabe as their leader and they must give him the respect he deserves. He wondered why there are different meanings of human rights.

He was concerned that Zimbabwe has become a target of the West while there are other African countries, which violate human rights like Swaziland and Uganda. "Why is Zimbabwe being punished?" he asked with a stern voice. He said SADC should apply the principles of democracy and human rights throughout the region. He said SADC should build solidarity and do more to bring change in Zimbabwe. He supported the demolitions of residences in Zimbabwe but faulted the method used. "We all want to see our cities gleaming with beauty. But that should not be done through trampling on human rights." Manhanga acknowledged that Zimbabwe’s past achievements have diminished severely.

Beatrice Mtetwa, a panellist from Zimbabwe shared the same sentiments with Manhanga. She lamented the deteriorating justice system in the country in which people are kept in custody for a long time without being tried. She said in some instances, cases are allocated to notorious judges. Mtetwa told the seminar that the Zimbabwean government is planning to amend the constitution to make it impossible for any individual to challenge its decisions in court. "Under this amendment, government can take your property and you will not be allowed to challenge that in any court," she said. She complained that this would scare away the few remaining investors. Mtetwa dismissed Botswana’s claims that the March elections in Zimbabwe were free and fair.

In her lengthy presentation, she said the Zimbabwean government has no regard for court orders whatsoever. She regretted that some officials of the Attorney General’s office were given powers to overturn judgements made by magistrates and that only a few High Court and Supreme Court judges are independent. But the independent ones are intimidated and live in fear.

The Zimbabwean ambassador in Botswana, Phelekezile Mphoko was not amused by the remarks and he labelled the panellists pathological liars and sellouts. "Please do not buy their story, they are not telling the truth about Zimbabwe." He said Zimbabweans enjoy their basic human rights.

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