On June 26th traffic police stopped me for not obeying a Stop sign cnr East and Natal roads in Avondale. I suppose I ‘paused’ and proceeded in a safe manner but whatever … I’m not contesting that. However, two officers on the scene told me I had to pay there and then. The first said if I chose not to I would have to go to the station (Avondale) and be taken to court. The second, a superior, said they no longer issue tickets so if I did not pay on the spot (and be issued with a receipt) I would have to proceed to Avondale police station where a docket would be opened against me and the courts would decide whether to pursue me or not.

I’m confused. I refused to pay on the spot as I felt it was a violation of my rights and opted to go to Avondale police station where a third officer explained that they no longer allow you to pay within seven days as the public (“people like you” were his exact words) were abusing that option.

I just want to know is this true or not? If it’s true why hadn’t I heard anything about it until I found myself in that very uncomfortable situation? Is this common knowledge and I am simply uninformed? Also, can they just do that; revoke that option because it’s convenient for them?

- Kubatana subscriber in Harare

Comment: This is news to us – and according to this statement from the ZRP Public Relations Department in March 2012, it is untrue. Meanwhile, Chihuri reckons they’re trying to get rid of the corruption in ZRP. So when did it become a legal requirement to move around with money on you? The police assume that if you drive a car, you have money in your pocket. Have you had similar experience? Please share it with us and tell us what you think needs to be done: info [at] kubatana [dot] net

New report by Global Witness:

Financing a Parallel Government?
The involvement of the secret police and military in Zimbabwe’s diamond, cotton and property sectors

Global Witness has run pioneering campaigns against natural resource-related conflict and corruption and associated environmental and human rights abuses. Their work has revealed how, rather than benefiting a country’s citizens, abundant timber, diamonds, minerals, oil and other natural resources can incentivise corruption, destabilise governments, and lead to war.

The latest Global Witness report reveals how Zimbabwe’s feared secret police, the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), appears to have received off-budget financing from Sam Pa, a businessman based in Hong Kong; and how members of the CIO are directors of a group of companies, Sino Zimbabwe Development, registered in Zimbabwe, Singapore and the British Virgin Islands.

The report also exposes how a Zimbabwean military lawyer owns half of Anjin Investments (Pvt) Ltd, the biggest diamond company in Zimbabwe’s controversial Marange diamond fields, on behalf of Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Defence.

Access the Global Witness Report online here

Newsday today reported that some children haven fallen ill after getting vaccinations under the just ended immunization week for children under 5 years. The children received vaccinations for measles and polio and in addition they received vitamin A supplements. In 2009 The Standard also reported that vaccinated children fell ill under such an immunization programme.

Being a parent or a guardian you tend to panic when you learn of such reports or worse still when you experience this actually happening to your child. A child falling ill after being immunized is very frightening and it calls for the Ministry of Health to carry out investigations.

From my personal experience in the first few months I had to take my son for shots, I was very worried and would dread taking him. I would procrastinate but eventually I would find myself at the clinic. And after a few days those side effects, like fever would creep in. As a first time mom it took time for me to learn and really appreciate how immunization and vaccinations work. I would therefore, like to share a few insightful and educative sites with parents and guardians out there.

On the UNICEF website they describe how immunization works:

“Immunization works by tricking the body into believing it is experiencing a full-scale invasion by an infectious agent so that the immune system can fortify its defenses. During vaccination, a harmless version of a germ is introduced to the body and the immune system responds by producing antibodies to attack the intruder. Thereafter, a memory of this “invasion” remains so that the immune system can quickly recognize and neutralize disease-causing agents when they appear.”

Thus a child is likely to fall ill while the vaccine is at work. It is also asserted that some vaccines can even cause symptoms which seem to be very similar to the symptoms of the disease they are supposed to prevent. To get more understanding of how vaccinations are made and how they work in the body you can click on these links below.

How vaccines Prevent Disease – Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
How do vaccines work – Healthy Children.org
And to understand more on illnesses that occur after getting shots click here

Don’t forget that even adults need to get shots once in a long while. A tetanus booster is required periodically throughout life!

It’s a big congratulations to Star FM for making it into Zimbabwean history for being the first private radio station after 32 years of independence. But I still feel nothing goes further than passing a congratulatory message at this stage because the station seems to be an extension of the existing state owned broadcaster. The radio station, which was officially launched yesterday, is owned by Zimpapers, which is state run. Initially the radio station got the license under the name Zimbabwe Talk Radio and no explanations have been given on the change of name.

Nhalnhla Ngwenya who heads Misa-Zimbabwe said, “So while it is good for Zimbabwe that we now have another player in the broadcasting industry, we doubt that its content will translate to an alternative platform form of communication. It would have been good if new player was going to bring diversity.”

Following reports of the third accident by Zimbabwe’s presidential motorcade in two weeks, Kubatana sent an SMS to our subscribers asking their opinion: Should the motorcade slow down, or should we get out of the way.

We received nearly 200 responses, with about 2/3 of opinion arguing in favour of the motorcade slowing down, and 1/3 arguing that the rest of us should get out of the way. Where possible, we’ve mapped responses here. Other opinions are shared below. What do you think? Submit your opinion as a report on this site or via twitter – hashtag #zwmotorcade.

• He must leave home in time and slow down.
• The motorcade should slow down or he should walk on foot.
• Mugabe should slow down. Why is he always in a hurry? If he has too many duties he should be pruned of some.
• He must slow down. Our roads are no good for formula1 races!
• Being d President o Zw doesn’t give Mugabe mo privileges than us, he should lead by example &we 4llow.He must SLOW DOWN!
• We must always make sure to stay away from the road when the big man is coming.
• He should fly.
• If the hero passes, his way must be fully honoured by everyone!
• Its up 2 us 2 get out e way, 4 e president have 2 b safe guys
• The motorcade is just too large. For starters let it be cut. The man is secure enough for God’s sake.
• He must slowdown to save his life and we must give way to save our life, we one life!!
• Lets not blame Mugabe for what is beyond his control. All drivers must be trained in defensive driving. My condolences to families and relatives who lost loved ones, those injured our Lord Jesus Christ cure them as hospital staff can only treat and Jesus heals.
• He has to slow down after all why the rush
• He should slowdown and cut his procession short
• Let us be out of the way
• He should slow down or not use the whole road
• Know Mugabe must respect the human rights and slow down his motorcade.
• As we are all equal citizens road rules to be observed by all, drive with caution always, its better to late than to be the late.
• He travels at suicidal speeds. Our roads are no good for formula1 races! He must travel responsibly before more lives are lost. Love Life, Love Zimbabwe.
• It is  up to us to get out the way, coz its being foolish to always appreciate (sorry)! Who will then be said to while there will be no one left alive.
• Mugabe’s motorcade must slow down, there is a lot of traffic in Zim nowadays
• To get out of the way is the best solution and to tune down our radio volumes
• Life is irreplaceable they should slow down & redo defensive driving course a human being is never a soft sport in driving
• Is it up to us 2 get out of the way or they compel us 2 do so?
• He needs to drive responsibly we do not want to die young so he MUST slow down.
• Highway code teaches that When the siren sounds for whatever reason pull off.
• He must slow down. Who knows he might be the next victim
• We must get off the way
• They must drive fast but safely.
• It is up to us to get out of the way because he is the president of this country, & his motorcade must not slow down, they are same like the ambulance passing through.
• They should fix their roads, which are in a bad state.
• He should slow down why the rush and cause more deaths. we should value lives than sacrifice.
• They slow down to allow the other road users to pull off the road safely without panic.
• He must stop when accident occurs and render first aid also his motorcade is too big
• They have to up grade the roads. Oh yes have to move at a moderate speed since having al the road.
• Let us get off the way should we hear the siren
• High speed is always dangerous
• The police are to blame they think they are the only ones right
• He must slow down where there is danger. Those cars are driven by human like us, why cant they just take precautions where necessary.
• There is no need for motorcade in this peaceful country? Vanoti kanganisa kufamba tavekutogara takatiza tikadziona (It is very disturbing on the roads, we get off the road each time we the motorcade)
• The motorcade should slow down. Why hurry every time?
• He should reduce speed as no politician has been shot in Zimbabwe but many have been killed in road accidents in which the cause has mainly been speeding.
• Why rushing, anenge achimbo nhanyira kupi,achitiza ani next time a big penalty (why rush, where will he be running to and running away from who next time, a big penalty)
• He is not rushing anyway, should not speed.
• We must get out of the road because we can die for nothing if we don’t do so.
• He should cut down on the number of vehicles and SLOW DOWN. What is he afraid of.
• Its up to us to get out of the way. It is even stated in the Highway code. Worldwide when the motorcade is sounding siren,u pull out of the road.
• It is up to the public to give way to the head of state.
• Lets obey road regulations and the law.
• He does not need motorcade. He is safer than any of us in Zim. He has enough room to show off. He should leave the streets out of it.
• He should slow down. mota dzinomhanya zvisingaite idzodzo (His motorcade moves really fast)
• The president should reduce number of vehicles on his convoy. What does he needs that whole fleet for he should be man enough what does he fear he is the president that won’t change anything
• Up 2 us to get way we cannot just watch such sad news.
• He should reduce the size of his convoy and slow down.
• He must slow down than 2 coz deaths thru accidents by trying 2 save an individual, why rush all d time?
• Its good for us to get out of the road bcoz if we don’t its also us the public who end up being injured
• Both the public and the motorcade should always drive carefully. Why speeding anyway.
• Like many other accidents happening in the country, what can we do before we focus on one person?

Banner at the World Refugee Day commemorations in South Africa.
Photo credit: PASSOP