Roger Stringer

Ex-librarian. Academic/non-fiction copy-editor, typesetter/desktop publisher in Zimbabwe.

[David Coltart @DavidColtart]

I am grateful to all the Lawyers’ organizations from across the world who have condemned the attack on my son @DougColtart .

It is time the rule of law prevailed in #Zimbabwe and time the Police did their job to bring the known culprits of these crimes, and those responsible for the crimes committed against other lawyers, such as Professor Madhuku, and activists, are brought to book.

[David Coltart @DavidColtart]

This morning legendary heroine of the struggle against the Rhodesian Front regime, 83 year old Judith Todd, and I attended the Parliament of Zimbabwe’s hearing on Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 at the @CityofBulawayo ‘s Large City Hall.

I stress that both of us were there in our personal, private capacities. I was there was a citizen, a lawyer of 43 years standing, an initial co Chair of COPAC and a member of the deadlock breaking Committee of COPAC. I was not there in my capacity as Mayor.

Ms Todd and I arrived at 9.58am and were seated in the front row in direct line of sight of the Chair. When the Chair called for contributions I put my hand up and continued to do so every time the Chair called for contributions. The Chair studiously ignored me. Eventually I stood up with my arm raised. I am a tall man - I am 6 foot 1 inch tall. I caught the eye of the Chair on several occasions. She just ignored me.

At about 11.30 the meeting was brought to a sudden and abrupt end. Neither Judith Todd nor I was given an opportunity to speak.

Both of us are steadfastly against the Bill and it is clear that this was a contrived and manipulated hearing.

We were not the only ones denied the right to speak. There were hundreds of others who indicated they wanted to speak but were denied.

It was always wrong and farcical that a City of 700,000 people should be allocated just two meetings, in this morning’s case one which lasted just an hour and a half. In fact the time in reality was less than that because the meeting started late and the Chair spent an inordinate amount of time setting out the ground rules and doing introductions. I estimate that the amount of time allocated to speak was just over an hour.

As result this process has been shown to be inadequate, unconstitutional and indeed farcical.

We can do so much better as a Nation.

[Roger Stringer @roger_zw]

@DavidColtart @HEBobiwine Not the only way. Look at Iran now.

[Zimbabwe Republic Police @PoliceZimbabwe]

The ZRP urges members of the public to report rogue police officers or individuals impersonating police officers who engage in misconduct such as demanding bribes, suspicious behavior or failure to produce identification. The public should contact the following hotlines, 0713 407 906 / [phone]/ [phone] or report at any nearest Police Station.

[Melanie Phillips @MelanieLatest]

How the Palestinian cause has destroyed the moral compass of the west

[Danny Kruger @danny__kruger]

I gave a speech today in an empty chamber. It’s about the need for a Christian restoration.

[Natasha Hausdorff @HausdorffMedia]

Full length Foreign Affairs Committee Natasha Hausdorff evidence session.

[𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐙𝐖 @CrimeWatchZW]

VIDEO 2: In the early hours of this morning, a young man rushed his sick mother to Parirenyatwa but found no one available to help them.

[Roger Stringer @roger_zw]

@HilzFuld Zimbabwe

[spiked @spikedonline]

“Calling Donald Trump a fascist is an insult to democracy and to history. You are turning the graveyards of the 20th century into a playground to have out your political spats. Get a grip”

Tom Slater at the Cambridge Union

[Vivid.🇮🇱 @VividProwess]

🇮🇱🇺🇸Elise Stefanik:

“The United Nations is an antisemitic organization. The world needs to hear about the importance of standing with Israel, and that is what I will do at the United Nations.”

[Roger Stringer @roger_zw]

@TinaBeattie No, nothing at all. First, test cricket is pretty rare here these days, so that's more important. Second, any sort of protesting not instigated by the ruling party would be unlikely to be allowed!

[Freeman @freemanchari]

WITHDRAWAL FROM CHINGWIZI PROJECT
We are writing to inform you that Citizens Initiative has made the sad decision to withdraw from the Chingwizi project where we were hoping to construct classroom blocks. This has been compelled by the bureaucratic handicaps we have faced in Masvingo province over a period of 5 months.

Before commencing the project we had 3 meetings with officials from Mwenezi RDC and the DA. They indicated that they welcomed the project, however they asked us to get clearance from Provincial Affairs & Devolution office in Masvingo.

We wrote them in October. They gave us the clearance letter on November 6. Our understanding was that there was nothing else we needed after this except liaising with the School SDC on how to get the community manpower we needed.

We began delivering cement, bricks and stones to the school on November 18. We then received phone calls from the CEO and the DA instructing us to stop activities at the school until we have another meeting on 21 November.

The meeting was attended by the following
1. Mwenezi DA - Mr. Mutambara
2. Mwenezi CEO
3. Mwenezi HR
4. Mwenezi Council Chair
5. Mwenezi Public Service Commission
6. Mwenezi Ministry of Education
7. President's Office Representative
8. Traditional Leaders' Representative
9. Police DISPO
10. JOC representative

At the meeting we made it clear that our work was non-political and non-partisan and that we did not want any political players to be involved. As with other projects we have done across the country, only the School SDC and local leadership (Councillor and Chief) would help us coordinate the community for labor and other help.

The meeting resolved to allow us to continue our work and that on the 4th December there would be the school meeting to site the block at Chingwizi.

On 27 November we received another call this time from Dr. Pazvakavambwa – Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President Masvingo. He wanted to meet us on 3 December in Masvingo. At the meeting, there were new conditions.

We were asked to register as a PVO, a process that has many other requirements and also takes a long time. In the mean time, they asked us to channel resources through the Council. Both these conditions are hard for us to abide by given that we have no intentions of managing another entity. Secondly channelling the resources through Council will create another layer of bureaucracy that we have no control over.

We have already established efficient ways to use the meagre resources we have. Roping in Council will balloon our expenses. We also will not be able to control and account for the resources to our donors. The request for endless meetings has already forced us to burn through 12% of what we had raised for the first block.

After consulting with the CI board, we have resolved to withdraw from the project and donate the materials we had already purchased to Chingwizi Primary School.

Although we have been successful in working in other provinces, this is not the first time we have faced this. We faced similar issues in Masvingo Province when we wanted to do the Citizwean Clinic in January 2020. We also had to give up on building home for Mt Hampden kids in 2021. We had to withdraw from Gwelutshena School project in Nkayi in 2022.

It breaks our hearts to be unable to fulfill the wishes of our ordinary donors who put in their hard earned money just so that the 662 children have a decent learning space. It was beyond our control and we tried our best. We Are Sorry.

[Roger Stringer @roger_zw]

@BareReality I cannot agree with you on this, Laura.

[Roger Stringer @roger_zw]

@advocatemahere @MthuliNcube And remove the 40% import duty on books, which is in any case in breach of Zimbabwe's obligations under the UNESCO Florence Agreement.

[ZLHR @ZLHRLawyers]

Magistrate Collet Ncube has acquitted 30 Harare residents & convicted 35 dwellers of the capital city including Senator Jameson Timba, who had been on trial on charges of participating in a gathering with intent to promote public violence, after they were arrested by ZRP in June.

[Roger Stringer @roger_zw]

@zwBritish 3/3 It is now seven days later and I have not received any reply and I have no reference number to quote.

[Roger Stringer @roger_zw]

@zwBritish 2/3 "A member of the Customer Service Team will respond to your email personally within 72 hours for enquiries received between Mondays and Thursdays from 0800hrs to 1630hrs. … For Reference your query number is -----. Please quote this in any further communications"