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Published 16th April 2004

Vol 45 No 8


Zimbabwe

Gunning for Mnangagwa

A corruption probe into ZANU-PF's finances aims to block the Parliamentary Speaker's bid to succeed President Mugabe

A high-level investigation initiated by former army commander General Solomon Mujuru into claims of massive corruption in the commercial operations of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Popular Front (ZANU-PF) is targeting Parliamentary Speaker Emmerson Mnangagwa. Although the allegations to be investigated centre on graft, mismanagement and security breaches, the intent behind the probe is overtly political ­ to stop Mnangagwa positioning himself to succeed President Robert Mugabe. As the party's Secretary for Administration, Mnangagwa is held responsible for the disarray in ZANU-PF's finances and has been recently named in another investigation into illegal gold trading. Gen. Mujuru proposed the investigation at last month's central committee meeting after a ZANU-PF linked company, Treger Holdings, had been cited in cases of foreign exchange offences, and another ZANU-PF notable, the volatile Philip Chiyangwa had been charged with fraud in another case (AC Vol 45 No 6). Mujuru caught Mnangagwa's clique off guard when he argued that the anti-graft campaign would lack credibility unless it looked at the ruling party's own finances.


Losing Zengeza

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The ruling party has won another by-election – and the opposition is faltering

The economic meltdown continues, land resettlement is hobbled by corruption and mismanagement, and the ruling elite is quarrelling over the presidential succession. So the main opp...


Rebirth pains

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The upcoming season of pan-African summits will test the new institutions and promises of reform

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Kibaki's crowded diary

The President has to take some tough decisions to rescue the coalition government

The next six months will be critical for President Mwai Kibaki and for the future of his National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) government. After almost 18 months of power, NARC's stand...


Registration rumpus

Politicians blame bureaucrats, bureaucrats blame politicians. That's democracy

Confusion and recriminations followed the voter registration process for December's presidential and parliamentary elections, which took place over two weeks last month. Many vot...


Rebels all round

President Déby looks vulnerable but the French and American governments see no credible alternative

The global 'War on Terror' arrived in Chad in early March when a heavily armed column of Algeria's Groupe Salafiste de Prédication et de Combat (GSPC), turned up unexpectedl...



Pointers

End of an affair

As polling stations closed on 14 April, activists were predicting the end of coalition government. With the African National Congress set to win a two-thirds majority, many ANC sup...


Between the wars

The United Nations military mission got off to an inauspicious start on 4 April with no new troops, no functioning government to support and no sign of disarmament. The two sides i...


Nujoma steps aside

Ambitious Foreign Minister Hidipo Hamutenya looks set to be installed as successor to President Sam Nujoma by the ruling South West African People's Organisation at its 28-29 May e...


A small success

In July the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is to re-categorise Cape Verde as a Medium Developed Country. While this reflects well on his economic management, P...