Prayer for Zimbabwe

[Roelof]

Thank you all for your prayers !!!

.... The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous one avails much. (Jas 5:16)

President Thabo Mbeki will facilitate a memorandum of understanding to be signed in Zimbabwe on Monday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

In a statement, the department said Mbeki would travel to Harare on Monday morning for the signing of the memorandum by Zimbabwean political parties around 15:00.
"The memorandum represents a positive step forward in the ongoing dialogue among the parties as facilitated by President Mbeki, acting on behalf of SADC (Southern African Development Community)."

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_A...361393,00.html

[Roelof]

To the chief Musician upon Muth-labben, A Psalm of David. I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvelous works. (Psa 9:1)

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Monday struck an uncharacteristically conciliatory note following his momentous signing of a joint accord with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to begin talks on sharing power.

"We sit here in order for us to chart a new way, a new way of political interaction," the 84-year-old leader said at his first face-to-face meeting with Tsvangirai in a decade. Mugabe was speaking after signing a memorandum of understanding on talks on behalf of his Zanu-PF party with Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, leader of a smaller MDC faction.

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/...361605,00.html

[Roelof]

Praise the Lord

Business Unity SA (Busa) is ready to work for economic stability in Zimbabwe, the organisation said on Tuesday.

"As the voice of business in SA, with members holding business interests in Zimbabwe, Busa stands ready to work and support all Zimbabwean parties in the restoration of economic stability and growth," it said in a statement.
It welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between President Robert Mugabe and the two MDC factions led by Arthur Mutambara and Morgan Tsvangirai respectively. "After years of economic malaise and political instability, this watershed event presents the best opportunity for Zimbabwe to re-establish and redefine itself."

http://www.fin24.com/articles/defaul...8-1786_2362100

[Roelof]

( I pray that criminals will not destroy the last bit of the economy)

Armed robberies have surged to record highs in the Zimbabwe capital, state radio reported on Monday, blaming the spike on an amnesty that freed dozens of convicted criminals.

It said police were launching a crackdown on gun crime after robbers stole cars at gunpoint and used firearms in burglarising houses to steal valuables, televisions, electronic goods and cash. State radio said at least four cases of armed robbery were reported daily in Harare in the past two weeks, the highest on record.

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/...369782,00.html

[Roelof]

(The Lord listens to our prayers, praise Him !!!)

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe could sign a power-sharing deal on Sunday that names opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai as prime minister, a senior ruling party official said on Saturday.

The official said Mugabe's Zanu-PF, after more than two weeks of talks seeking to end a post-election crisis, wants any unity government to last five years.
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Tsvangirai would be premier although his powers were still under discussion. "There could be a signing tomorrow, after the leaders have met to thrash out the remaining issues," the official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.
http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/...373120,00.html

[Roelof]

(I am still praying for a peaceful settlement)

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe said on Monday his country "was not for sale" and "will never be a colony again", while warning the opposition not to be "used by the enemy".

"Let's not hand over the country to the enemy," Mugabe said in a national address for Heroes' Day and ahead of a new round of power-sharing talks with his political rivals. "If you are on the enemy's side or you are being used by enemies, stop it, that's it."

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/...373748,00.html

[Oregongrown]

Father God, we know all things are in Your hands, I trust and have faith that You will be with all involved in this. I pray that You place a hedge of protection around Your people Father and I also pray, that many unbelievers will come to know You and be saved. Thank you for this brother You have brought here to the forums. Bless him Lord, in the precious name of Jesus, amen

[Ashley274]

I am close to bed time and can't think of many great words to post but know in my heart I wish only the BEST for the people of this country and continued movement in that direction

[Roelof]

(I am still praying for lasting peace)

It is slightly better for Zimbabweans that Robert Mugabe has agreed to talk to the opposition, rather than sending his supporters to harass, arrest and kill its members. But while he is still president — and his officials at the talks have declared that this is non-negotiable — it is hard to see any plan emerging which will rescue the country from the disaster of the last decade of his rule.
The power-sharing talks, which broke up over the weekend, resumed yesterday. Thabo Mbeki, South Africa's President, who is chairing them, has rightly been the target of scathing attacks internationally for declining to criticise Mugabe openly. He would find it a useful rebuttal to extract a deal from these talks before the regional summit which he hosts in South Africa on August 16.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/com...cle4506682.ece

[Roelof]

(Please continue to pray for peace which has not yet arrived - Roelof)


Harare - The passports and travel documents of Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and two senior officials have been seized as they were about to leave Harare International Airport.
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) spokesperson George Sibotshiwe told News24 that Tsvangirai, Secretary General Tendai Biti, and Secretary for International Relations, Prof Eliphas Mukonoweshuro, were prevented from flying to Johannesburg on Thursday, where they were due to attend a meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) heads of state. They were detained and released shortly afterwards, but their passports were not given back to them.

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/...376008,00.html

[Roelof]

Johannesburg - There could soon be a long-awaited end to negotiations between Zimbabwe's rival leaders, President Thabo Mbeki told the SADC summit on Saturday.
"This summit affords us the possibility to assist the Zimbabwean parties to finalise their negotiations so that together they can engage the work to achieve national healing and reconciliation," Mbeki told the Southern African Development Community summit. Finalising negotiations would allow the country to "attend to the matter of reconstruction and development of Zimbabwe and in this way extricate the masses of the people from the dire straits in which they find themselves," he added.

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/...377168,00.html

[Roelof]

(Please conntinue to pray for peace in our neighbour country, who is economically ruined - Roelof)

Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change said on Wednesday it had not consented to the reconvening of Parliament, claiming it could jeopardise talks to resolve the country's political crisis.

MDC secretary general Tendai Biti said such a decision needed to be made by consensus according to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on July 21 in Harare with the ruling Zanu-PF party, which paved the way for talks on power-sharing.
"In the present case, the MDC has not consented to the convening of the Parliament," Biti said in a statement.
"Any decision to convene parliament will be a clear repudiation of the MOU, and an indication beyond reasonable doubt of Zanu-PF's unwillingness to continue to be part of the talks," he said. "In short convening parliament decapitates the dialogue," he added.

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/...379354,00.html

[Roelof]

Zimbabwe police said on Friday there had been an attempt to blow up a road and rail bridge on one of the country's major highways near Harare.

Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena said in a statement: "There was an attempt to bomb the Hunyani rail and road bridges along the Harare-Bulawayo route last night. Both bridges suffered minimum damage and remained intact and useable."
"Investigations are in progress. Security forces remain on high alert." He declined to comment on possible suspects and the motive for the attack, or whether it was linked to political tension in the country.

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/...380954,00.html

[Roelof]

(There is no final peace plan on the table yet, please continue to pray - Roelof)

President Thabo Mbeki is to chart the way forward in stalled talks for a power-sharing government in Zimbabwe after meeting representatives from the main political parties, Justice Minister Patrick Chinamisa said in a state newspaper article published on Sunday.

"I can confirm that we went to South Africa for separate bilateral discussions with the facilitator," Chinamasa, who is one of the chief negotiators for President Robert Mugabe, was quoted as saying by The Sunday Mail. "The meeting was convened because the facilitator wanted to search for a way forward," he added.

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_A...385594,00.html

[Roelof]

From Wikipedia:
Zimbabwe (pronounced /zɪmˈbɑːbweɪ/), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, and formerly Southern Rhodesia, the Republic of Rhodesia and Zimbabwe Rhodesia, is a landlocked country in the southern part of the continent of Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the northwest, and Mozambique to the east. The official language of Zimbabwe is English. However, the majority of the population speaks Shona, which is the native language of the Shona people, a Bantu Language; the other native language of Zimbabwe being Sindebele, which is spoken by the Matabele people.
The country is ruled by President Robert Mugabe, accused by rights groups of massive violations of human rights.[1] Zimbabwe is currently experiencing a hard currency shortage, which has led to hyperinflation and chronic shortages in imported fuel and consumer goods. President Mugabe's critics blame his programme of land reform. However, Mugabe claims that massive financial isolation through American, British and EU legislation such as the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZDERA) of 2001 is the actual cause of hyperinflation. Under ZDERA, the United States is prohibited from supporting any efforts by the International Monetary Fund and other financial institutions to extend loans, credit or debt cancellation to the government of Zimbabwe.

GDP (PPP) 2008 estimate - Total $2.2 billion (158th) - Per capita $188 (179th)